A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR ZAMBIA

There is no doubt the 21st Century has been acknowledged as the 'Knowledge or Information  Century'. Every nation including Zambia now finds itself operating in an increasingly competitive and globalised international environment where the information infrastructure, research and innovation systems, education and lifelong learning, and regulatory frameworks are crucial variables.

This is why we need to  establish a knowledge-oriented paradigm of development. It is with this broad task in mind that I earlier proposed for the establishment of the National Knowledge Commission / Council for Zambia.

The overall task of  the National Knowledge Commission/ Council as I earlier pointed out should be to; to give the country  the ‘knowledge edge’ in the coming decades, i.e. to ensure that our country compete in the creation, application and dissemination of knowledge. Creation of new knowledge principally depends on strengthening the education system, promoting domestic research and innovation in libraries and laboratories (from our universities and research institutions) as well as at the grass root levels (communities ).

This 'll involve diverse priorities like using traditional/ indigenous knowledge in agriculture, health, education etc , encouraging innovation in industry and agriculture, and building a strong e-governance framework for our public service.

It 'll also be another way of harnessing our expatriates in the diaspora to participate in the development of the country.  Zambia has  undertaken numerous research on alot of issues affecting the country which only accumulate dust. But this is now the time to translate research into products that benefit the   people.

Can ZNBC be tranformed into a public broadcaster?

The original intention of government was to transform Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation ZNBC  into a public service broadcaster, accountable to the public through the legislature which is protected against interference, particularly of a political or economic nature. This was done through Section 4(2) of the ZNBC (Amendment) Act No. 20 of 2002 which provided for appointment of Board Members through an Adhoc Appointments Committee comprising members from various sectors of society. It is common knowledge that in the light of the history of the ZNBC, that a change of government or the ruling party entails a change in the control through the appointment of the Director and Board members of  ZNBC.

I hope we do recall that the revised statute, Section (3) of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) (Amendment) Act No. 16 of 2010, abolished the 'Appointments Committee' thereby, effectively assigning the responsibility of appointing members of the ZNBC Board to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services subject to ratification by the National Assembly.

However, it must be noted here that it is a requirement for a Public Broadcaster that the process of appointing members of the Board should be set out clearly in law, be open, democratic, should not be dominated by any particular political party or commercial interest and should allow for public participation and consultation.Overall, membership should be required to be reasonably representative of society as a whole.

Thus, legislation which provides for the appointment of members of the ZNBC Board by the Minister in charge of Information and broadcasting is not open or democratic and can be said to be dominated by a particular political party.The process further does not allow for public participation or a consultation system as provided under Section 4(2) of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (Amendment) Act of 2002.

This places in jeopardy all the efforts by Board members and staff to manage the institution professionally for the benefit of the nation.Therefore despite recent legislation to transform ZNBC, there is more to be done to transform ZNBC to a true public broadcaster that will cater for all spectra of society in Zambia.This requires a serious commitment by government to review  the media laws in Zambia, especially the laws pertaining to ZNBC.

Will the media survive this information global phenomena?

The recent conduct of the media in the U.S seems to determine already who the winner in the forthcoming elections is between  Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton. This was similarly the case with the Zambian media in the just ended August 11 2016 elections. Both the state and private media's conduct in Zambia during the just ended elections has left their own credibility hanging in the balance.

Through out time, the media, particularly a free press has been a respected and trusted institution of democracy. Today, the notion of a free remains much of a fallacy. Many of the world's media today remains under the control of a few barons who control and bankroll their operations. Such media represents the narrow interests of such elitists and oligarchs than the ordinary citizens whose interests they purport to champion. Both the public and the private media face this power dichotomy.

But most importantly,  this era of competitive global knowledge/information economy has exposed how the media will need to strive to survive.The advent of the Information age, the emergency of a Knowledge economy and society, including the magic touch of social media has created an open society where citizens no longer need middlemen such as the media to transmit or receive information.

It is clear therefore,  that the media has been ambushed by this information global phenomena forcing it to be relegated to stint of rumor mongers and gossipers.The adage "information is power" stands even true today in this competitive information and knowledge economy where whoever controls, manages, mines, formats and preserves this information has the power. The media no longer holds monopoly to this.

Thus, Librarians, knowledge managers, data managers, data miners, computer programmers, software engineers and other information professionals have the opportunity to replace the traditional media to become the new game changers in this knowledge economy, if only they can position themselves strategically to seize this power.

What's with African leaders and their love for titles?

It seems the practice of acquiring a long list of titles started with our earliest presidents soon after independence.After all, in Africa that is how our traditional chiefs and leaders are addressed. It thus seems that the post colonial  presidents or rulers saw themselves as the new big chiefs.

In 1957, Ghana became the first African country to gain independence from Britain. Soon after, Kwame Nkrumah, the first president got himself suitably impressive titles. He was addressed as Osagyefo, (a chief's title, meaning Redeemer) Dr Kwame Nkrumah - Life President of the Republic of Ghana.

Former President of Malawi  had the title 'Ngwazi' Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda-Life President of the Republic of Malawi.

Zimbabwean President Robert Gabriel Mugabe is referred to as His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Commander in-Chief of the Armed Forces and President and First Secretary of Zanu PF. Chancellor of all State Universities, Life President of Zimbabwe, “Son of Man”, Conqueror of the British Empire and Liberator of Farms.Supreme Leader, First Citizen of the Nation, Honorary Black Belt and Professor of Diplomacy.

Former president of Zaire now DRC was born Joseph Mobutu. However, in 1972 he renamed himself Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga. His name meant "The all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and inflexible will to win, will go from conquest to conquest, leaving fire in his wake".

Former President of Uganda Idi Amin famously went by the title - His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, CBE, Lord of all the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular.

Recently,  the the office the the Gambian President announced that another title was being added to the list of titles held by the president. According to an official release, the Gambian leader would now be known formally as "His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh Babili Mansa". Babili Mansa, in the Mandika language of the Gambia means Bridge Builder, or Conqueror of Rivers.

Could this be that Africans only attempt to emulate from the colonial master titles such as Sirs, Dukes, Duchess, Baroness, Viscounts, OBEs, CBEs etc etc? For instance, the official full title of the Head of State from which we got our independence is: Her Majesty, "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".