MHT 2009 Trade Fair and Festival Postmortem

Dear All

After a well attended and articulated postmortem held at the Pyramid Conference Centre in Johannesburg City on 6th September 2009, the Patron, Mr James Ndambo announced that he was relinquishing his daily activity of answering emails and offering direction on administrative issues. But that was not all, he also abdicated his position as Patron, but this will be subject to ratification by the MHT General Council at its next sitting.

Mr Alfred Masupha, who until the Johannesburg meeting was First Vice Chairperson, assumed the post of Patron. The Board will meet and decide whether it is necessary to carry on with the status quo of maintaining two positions of First Vice Chairperson and Second Vice Chairperson.

The MHT concept has been in existence for over two decades and initially operated around the Patron’s family circles and close friends. Early beneficiaries include MHT Director of Micro Finance Mr Rocky Sombe and Makeni Gardens Managing Director Mr Harries Ndambo and his entire family and family members in England, South Africa, the United States of America and Malaysia.

When Mr Ndambo delved into the initialization of formalizing the concept into a legal entity that it has become he had no idea that the growth of the organization would be as rapid as it has been two years down the line. Paradoxically, little did the Patron know that the concept would gain international appeal with support from Asian, South American and European Countries and indicators are that more are set to join with Czech Republic , Poland and Cyprus as the likely prospects.

Unless the Patron took a strategic move as quickly as he has done, the organization risked being branded as exclusively Choma and with Choma being Mr Ndambo’s birthplace, the whole concept would have lost meaning and stifled immense interest for the idea from within Zambia and internationally among many members yearning to contribute knowledge, leadership, inspiration and charity work to places of their origin where they hold sentimental values for various reasons.

In order for the concept to remain abuzz with desire, the Patron recommended a strategy where Choma does not lose its focus by having someone immensely talented and residing in Choma take over the coordinator functions of the organization, thereby freeing the Patron from the daily activity of administrative work and taking up a more equitable role of international oversight with emphasis on business development that will sustain MHT’s administrative funding requirements.

Therefore the structure of the organization still remains as before, Mr George Cornhill as Chairman; Mrs Grace Tawila Vice Chairperson, Mr Kennedy Muchimba Board Member, Mr Silas Mungala – Managing Director, Mr Carl Ziervogel Deputy Managing and Ms Alpha Ndambo Deputy Managing Director Youth Activities. These constitute the Board of MHT.

The Management team comprise consultants; Mr Mungala MD, Mr Timoth Twaambo Agriculture, Dr Anne Phiri Healthy and Education, Mrs Grace Ndambo Deputy consultant Healthy and Education, Reverend Siachalwa Muchimba Administration and Fellowships, Arthur Ntanda Finance, Thomas Ntini Transport and Insurance, Mr Sombe Micro Finance and Mr Humphrey Lombe Media, Communication and International Relations.

It is hoped that this clarification will help put this matter to rest as to who the Patron is.

Incidentally, this is the last time that I am using the route of mass copying an email, please take note that from now onward you are all encouraged to visit the website that is now up and running. If you have been experiencing a problem in gaining access to the private sites; contact the administrator Dr Daisy Mwanza Simwami on the following email addresses: daisy.mwanza@btconnect.com or daisy@myhometown.org.zm

Plans are afoot to ensure that the website undergoes regular updates and this will come into effect in a matter of weeks.

One World One MHT.

Good Luck to You All

HUMPHREY LOMBE

CONSULTANT MEDIA, COMMUNICATION AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS