Tukiya Kankasa-Mabula: Stimulating academic development in Zambia
Speech by Dr Tukiya Kankasa-Mabula, Deputy Governor (Administration) of the Bank of
Zambia, to the Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies Students, Lusaka, 17 October 2012.
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Management Staff
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Lecturers
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Students,
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Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
Good afternoon to you all,
I feel greatly privileged to be here with you this afternoon to share with you the background to
my career progression and to also give you an inspirational message that may stimulate you
to greater heights. I take this opportunity to thank the management of the Zambia Centre for
Accountancy Studies for extending an invitation to me. I always get a satisfying feeling to
speak to students, particularly given that I am coming from a background of lecturing.
As has been said earlier, I am currently the Deputy Governor Administration at the Central
Bank of Zambia. For those of you that may not be too familiar with what the role of the
central bank is; the primary role of the Bank of Zambia is, and I quote: "to formulate and
implement monetary and supervisory policies that will ensure the maintenance of price and
financial system stability so as to promote balanced macroeconomic development".
The functions of the Bank are stipulated in the Bank of Zambia Act and these are as follows:
1. To licence, supervise and regulate the activities of banks and financial institutions so
as to promote the safe, sound and efficient operations and development of the
financial system;
2. To promote efficient payment mechanisms;
3. To issue notes and coins to be legal tender in the Republic and regulate all matters
relating to the currency of the Republic;
4. To act as banker and fiscal agent to the Republic;
5. To support the efficient operation of the exchange system; and
6. To act as adviser to the Government on matters relating to economic and monetary
management.
As Deputy Governor Administration, my work includes overseeing the Human Resources,
Finance, ICT, Audit, Bank Secretariat (Legal, Board Secretarial and Public Relations),
Procurement and Maintenance Services, and Security functions of the Bank.
Prior to my appointment as Deputy Governor Administration, I was the Bank Secretary. This
position entailed being the Chief Legal Advisor to the Bank, Secretary to the Board of
Directors and in charge of the Bank's Public Relations function.
My first career was that of an Academic. I lectured Law at the University of Zambia. I then
briefly joined the Securities and Exchange Commission as the Director of Licensing and
Enforcement before moving to the Bank of Zambia.
To say something about my academic qualifications, I graduated with a Bachelor of Laws
degree from University of Zambia, thereafter a Master of Laws degree from Harvard where I
was a Fulbright Scholar and a PhD from University of London, Centre for Commercial Law
Studies, Queen Mary and Westfield College. Allow me to mention that all my studies were
done on scholarship.
Apart from my work, I am also involved in service to the public and to the Church through
sitting on various Bodies.
I was not appointed to this position my chance; it took effort and hard work to be noticed. I
believed in myself and knew I had to put in the best to achieve anything I wanted to achieve.
So what message do I carry for you this afternoon? My Theme is that YOU CAN DO IT!
To you the students, I want to encourage you to see yourselves as leaders. You are the
future of this nation. You are part of the cream that need to push this country forward. I would
like you to realise that academic and professional qualifications are an integral part of
settings yourselves up for one's life. By being here, you are establishing a path for your
successful career whether as an employee or an entrepreneur. The knowledge that you are
gaining is assisting in developing and enhancing your ability to think and perceive as well as
manage the various situations that life offers.
The outcome of your academic development will obviously have a positive impact on your
family, society, culture and country at large. MAKE SURE YOU TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE
OF THIS OPPORTUNITY. It sets the stage for the rest of your future. If you graduate from
here with poor grades will mean you have limited your access to top notch institutions,
should you, for example, wish to get an advanced qualification. You are limited even to apply
for scholarships. And in situations of competition, the best will be selected.
ZCAS is one of the renowned institutions in Zambia. One thing you must realise is that not
everyone has the opportunity to be enrolled in an institution of higher learning to obtain an
academic or professional qualification. Therefore, you must make the best of this opportunity
to be here at ZCAS and indeed, be thankful to God. Many of your friends are not able to
have this opportunity. I am also aware that for quite a good number, it is a great sacrifice by
your parents to send you here. You should ensure that this investment pays off by putting in
your best.
DISCIPLINE
For many of you, this may be the first time that you have experienced so much freedom in
your lives. It is the beginning of taking responsibility for your own lives. The importance of
being disciplined in both your academic and social life cannot be overstated. I believe there
are no capitaos at ZCAS. You must be your own capitao.
I entered the University with very good grades. I am forever grateful and indebted to a fellow
student who was then in 2nd year who sarcastically told me that there were a lot of brilliant
girls who had gone to University only to be redirected after a year due to poor performance.
For me, that was the rude awakening of the need to be focused. YOU MUST BE
FOCUSSED. YOU MUST KNOW WHY YOU ARE HERE.
Avoid indiscipline, and indeed the company of those who are undisciplined. Do not succumb
to negative peer pressure both in the academic realm and in the social realm. We are all
aware that being socially undisciplined can in fact lead to death. Zambia wants to raise an
HIVAIDS free generation. You are a big part of realizing that dream.
You need to have strong moral values to stand up for what you know is right, and to do the
right thing. In an environment like this one, it is very easy for anyone to fall into the
temptation of succumbing to peer pressure and end up in wrong and unpleasant situations.
I will take this opportunity to encourage you and reiterate that you observe what you
constantly hear, know and see about the campaign against contracting the virus that causes
AIDS. We have so much information about the disease to inform each one of you. Each of
you, as an individual, has a big role to play in preventing the spread of the disease. Going
back to what I said earlier about maintaining high morals, keep away from abusing alcohol,
drugs and sex as these are the ingredients that are likely to lead you into high risk behavior
such as unprotected sex and cause you to contract the HIV/AIDS. Abstinence is the only
100% effective way to avoid getting infected.
WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT
Employers want to see in you potential to be a high flyer and willingness to learn new things.
Employers want a demonstration of productivity. Employers want to receive a good
reference, a transcript that reflects goods results and a qualification from an institution of
repute, a qualification that is relevant to their needs.
You therefore need to be forward looking even as you select your subject. PLAN YOUR
LIVES. Do not have the attitude of FIKAISOLVA. Have a recipe for a successful life. It is
never too early. I had decided when I began to study law that I wanted to specialize in
commercial law. That path has brought me to where I am today.
I must make mention that you are fortunate in that the environment of the college is ideal for
learning. I had the opportunity to be taken around the college and I observed that you have
modern facilities and equipment that support your learning. Your classrooms have the
necessary furniture, the computer laboratory has access to internet and the physical building
conditions are solid.
FAITH AND WISDOM
It is very important not to ignore your spiritual wellbeing. It is what will make you a whole
being. I will end by sharing with you a scripture passage from the Paul's Second letter to
Timothy Chapter 2:22-25
"Have no part at all in the wrong things that young men like to do. Believe. Have
love. Follow what is right. Live at peace. Do these things along with others who
have a clean heart and talk to God."