Dabwitso Zumani Phiri

In search of Atlantis.
#believe

[Dabwitso Zumani Phiri @Zumani_]

Indulge...

[The Column @TheColumn3]

"The irony of the aforementioned political trends makes us question democracy in Africa. Does the rule of the people prevail when the trajectory is set and ‘democratically dictated’ by one person?" @Zumani_

https://t.co/k5DOrFibfF

[Leo Dasilva @SirLeoBDasilva]

The crazy thing is that, if that guy did not decide to keep Afro, we won’t have known that Manchester United has not won 5 games in a row for 688 days.

[Arsenal @Arsenal]

Rule of three.

[Hull City @HullCity]

1738

[Dabwitso Zumani Phiri @Zumani_]

@nairmayukh Get well soon soon brother

[Yoshimitsu @LogyBack]

That's 6 goals scored now with no setpiece. If Jover is no longer interested in the job, he should tell us.

[Jessica Ufuoma @theufuoma]

Any small thing "the reigning champions" "the premier league champions". God, you don't know what you've done for me.

[Felix @FMwenge]

Now all the Humble Pies have run out. Because you rush to issue opinions & think pieces on limited information. When unsure, or unclear, silence is helpful. Observe & wait for time to play its role. You can’t build a nation at this rate #Zambia

[Crucible Lusaka @cruciblelusaka]

We’re celebrating an incredible milestone at Crucible Lusaka!

Our pioneering A & AS Level cohort has set a remarkable benchmark for academic excellence and we couldn’t be prouder.

🏆 84% achieved A–A*
🏆 97% achieved A–B*
🏆 100% achieved A–C*

[AQUILA @aquila_fpoz_]

This is not the Zambia we want.
This is not the politics we want.

[AQUILA @aquila_fpoz_]

If you are 35 presently and if all things remain constant, you are 40 at the next general election. You have to do something for yourself in the time, something meaningful. We are all passing and quickly- the only thing that is certain is the republic.

[Ted Lassø 🎲 @Fixo10]

I get to watch the Community Shield as a Premier League winner and NOT a FA cup winner.

Mikel, you have changed my life. 😎

[Felix @FMwenge]

Just go vote for your candidate quietly.
Don’t insult people for voting for a different candidate. If you didn’t know you actually don’t sound smart when you do that, you sound chronically uninformed and dangerously entitled. #Zambia

[Tony | The Ambassador @tonytheegoon]

Before you complain that nobody supports you, check yourself too. When was the last time you shared your friend’s business or reposted their work?

You can’t always want support and never give it. It goes both ways 💭..

[Twalib @TwalibZaitunk]

I just clocked that we’re not chasing the Premier League title next season… we’re DEFENDING it😭😍😹

[Av @aviv_lavi]

Imagine being a kid supporting Arsenal at school these days

Premier League winners. Midfield of Rice and Bruno G

I was repping Coquelin, Denilson and Torreira bro. Every summer we were crying bc we never replaced Vieira😭😭😭😭

They don’t realise how good they got it

[Sampa Kabwela @ukusefya]

Mundubile’s BBC Interview: what worked and what failed

Sampa Kabwela

For decades, I have worked with top leaders preparing them for high-stakes media interviews. Its what I get paid for. I have just watched Mundubile's interview clip. If I were leading his communications, this is what I would have done.

Appearance
Appearance is communication. He needs a custom-made, well-fitting suit. Its not optional. The jacket he wore was oversized, and the gray did not flatter him on camera. The choice of tie was even worse. He looked even older and charmless.

His posture needed improvement. He should have sat upright, with a slight forward lean while speaking to project confidence and engagement. Instead, he appeared slouched, stiff, and uncomfortable.

Content
The communications team should have anticipated the obvious questions. By now, they should know the most frequently asked questions and the recurring criticisms and how to answer by heart.

The interviewer was clearly trying to tie him to the Lungu presidency and its failures (not its successes). It was an obvious line of questioning, yet he failed to handle it effectively. He missed an opportunity to put that association to rest once and for all.

He could have --
Corrected the record: He should have clarified that he was an inconsequential provincial minister, was not a member of Cabinet, and was not among the country’s principal decision-makers. He could even have illustrated the point by asking the interviewer whether every decision made at the BBC is his responsibility simply because he works there.

Shared lessons learned: He could have acknowledged that while he was not President Lungu, he observed both the successes and the failures of that administration. As someone aspiring to lead Zambia, he is uniquely positioned to understand what worked, what failed, and how he would do differently. He could have drawn the same comparison with the current administration.

Pivoted to his manifesto: That was the moment to introduce his vision and policy agenda. Talking about his love for Zambia should have been the underlying theme, not the primary response to a question about his association with the previous administration.

Where he did well
He attempted to lead the conversation by steering it toward the issues he wanted to discuss rather than allowing the interviewer to dictate the entire agenda. That is an important media skill.
His articulation, voice, and cadence are his strength. He has a commanding, interview-friendly voice and communicates with clarity and authority.

Where he was clumsy
His biggest weakness was ignoring questions that required direct answers. While redirecting an interview is a legitimate technique, the audience must still feel that the original question has been addressed before you pivot to your key messages. He did not achieve that balance and he came out as unprepared, disoriented and clumsy. Perhaps this was his first interview with a major international broadcaster in his 55 years.

Lessons for the future
-- Invest in a wardrobe that works on camera.
-- Conduct camera tests to determine which colours, fabrics, and fits project confidence and authority. Appearance is communication.
-- Rehearse extensively. Every major interview should be preceded by multiple mock interview sessions.
-- Understand the audience, the platform, and the interviewer’s objectives before stepping into the studio.
--Recognize that media performance improves with experience. The more interviews you do, the more natural the process becomes.

Lastly, prepare thoroughly and, where appropriate, ask the broadcaster for the likely line of questioning. In my experience, there are very few leaders I would put in front of a camera for a major interview without first understanding the likely areas of questioning.

Overall score: 6/10
This is not a rating of Mundubile’s viability as a political leader (that's upto the voters). It is an assessment of his interview management and media performance.

[Dabwitso Zumani Phiri @Zumani_]

@aquila_fpoz_ Aquila😅

[Sarauniya 👑 @Mrs_Bokomo]

Sat next to someone pa waiting and when I asked if he was also interviewing for the same position he said “no the bigman is my spiritual father, I just passed through to see him” and during the interview I was asked which church I belong to… just thought to myself hmm tepano..

[Sishuwa Sishuwa @ssishuwa]

@mrphirii Jonah is not partisan, please. He is a journalist and it is his job to ask the most difficult questions, to prod politicians’ minds in search of answers to some of the key issues that matter most. It is wrong to discredit professionals for doing their job.