Eng. Waddy Sakeni

18/09/2026

EIZ EARNS CONTINENTAL RECOGNITION AT AFRICA ENGINEERING WEEK CONFERENCE IN TANZANIA

The Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) has earned continental recognition for its contribution to the advancement of engineering following its participation in the 12th Africa Engineering Week and 10th African Engineering Conference held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from 13th to 17th September 2026.

A key highlight of the conference was EIZ receiving an Excellence Award during the Gala Dinner in recognition of the Institution’s continued strategic partnership with the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO).

Leading the Zambian delegation, Eng. Chiza Nyirenda said EIZ’s participation and recognition reflected the Institution’s growth and contribution to engineering matters beyond Zambia.

“For me, this demonstrates that we are growing as an Institution and we must be deliberate about growing the profession,” he said.

The conference further provided a platform for EIZ representatives to contribute to technical and professional discussions. Vice President – Membership and Continuous Professional Development, Eng. Edith Munungwe, participated in a panel discussion, while Chairperson of the Zambia Women in Engineering Section, Eng. Agness Mofya, also contributed to a panel discussion.

EIZ further participated in the FAEO General Assembly, contributing to discussions on the development and advancement of the engineering profession across Africa.

The conference also saw Eng. Ohaga of Kenya elected President-Elect of FAEO. EIZ congratulates Eng. Ohaga on his appointment and looks forward to continued collaboration with FAEO and engineering institutions across the continent.

Zambia also recorded a notable achievement through its young innovators, who received six awards for their participation and innovations in the Women in Engineering Innovations Programme.

EIZ congratulates the young innovators on this outstanding achievement and recognises the important role such initiatives play in nurturing innovation, encouraging participation in engineering and inspiring the next generation of engineering professionals.

14/09/2026

Happy Birthday, Eng. Dr Kakoma Chilala Bowa! 🎉
Wishing a very happy birthday to the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) Vice President for Policy, Public Relations and National Development, Eng. Dr. Chilala Kakoma Bowa.
May this special day bring you joy, good health and renewed strength. Thank you for your leadership, dedication and continued service to the engineering profession and national development.
May the year ahead be filled with greater achievements, wisdom and many more blessings.
Happy Birthday, Madam Vice President!

08/09/2026

Civil Engineer by training. Professional troublemaker by calling.

I have an unhealthy relationship with infrastructure, public policy, engineering standards, and problems that could have been solved if someone had simply listened to the engineer in the room.

I will discuss a bridge collapse at breakfast, tender regulations at lunch, geopolitics in the afternoon, and somehow end the day analysing a dating conversation like it’s a forensic investigation.

I believe most problems can be solved with enough competence, strategic thinking, stubbornness, and occasionally a very strongly worded position paper.

I am simultaneously trying to improve engineering practice, interrogate government policy, find better ways of doing things, pursue ambitious career opportunities, and understand why human beings insist on behaving irrationally.

I overthink everything. Then I turn the overthinking into a strategy.

I have opinions. Many of them. Some are professionally defensible. Others are merely delivered with enough confidence to become everyone’s problem.

I can be diplomatic when necessary, chaotic when appropriate, and completely incapable of pretending something is sensible when it obviously isn’t.

Basically, I’m an engineer with a policy problem, a curiosity problem, an ambition problem, and absolutely no intention of recovering from any of them.

Proceed at your own risk.

06/09/2026

THE MAP IS NOT THE TERRITORY 🌍

As engineers, we understand that every projection is a compromise. A map can preserve area, distance, direction or shape, but no flat map can perfectly represent a three-dimensional Earth.

So, yes, let us celebrate Africa’s true size. Let us challenge outdated perceptions. Let us understand that the apparent size of countries and continents on a map can be profoundly misleading.

But there is a bigger question:

What are we going to do with the Africa that exists beyond the map?

Africa is vast. It has enormous mineral, agricultural, energy and human-resource potential. But that geographical advantage also presents an enormous engineering challenge.

We need roads, railways, bridges, water systems, electricity networks, telecommunications, efficient cities and interconnected markets capable of overcoming the tyranny of distance.

And that brings me to the irony of our priorities.

While we passionately debate whether Africa has been “shrunk” on maps, people are sitting in traffic for hours. Goods are taking too long to move. Communities remain disconnected. Infrastructure gaps continue to constrain economic activity.

The map can make Africa look bigger. Engineering must make Africa work bigger.

Let us celebrate the recognition—but let the real awakening be measured not by how large Africa appears on paper, but by how effectively we transform its size, resources and people into prosperity.

Africa doesn't need a bigger picture. Africa needs bigger ambition—and the engineering to deliver it. 🌍💪🏾

01/09/2026

WHEN EVERYTHING AROUND IT COLLAPSED, THIS HOUSE STOOD

This image from the Nepal floods is more than just a remarkable photograph, it is a lesson in structural engineering and resilience.

Look closely.

Around the house, the floodwaters have stripped away soil, destroyed neighbouring structures and carried enormous quantities of mud, rocks and debris. Yet the house remains standing.

Why?

1. A continuous reinforced-concrete frame appears to have provided structural integrity, allowing the building to act as one system rather than individual walls.

2. The foundation/support system appears to have resisted severe scour, even after much of the surrounding ground was washed away.

3. The building’s location and orientation relative to the main flow path may have reduced the direct impact of the most destructive part of the debris flow.

4. Load paths matter. When columns, beams and foundations are properly connected, forces can be redistributed through the structural system instead of causing immediate progressive collapse.

But there is another important lesson here:

Good structural engineering does not begin with concrete and steel. It begins with understanding the site.

Hydrology.
Geotechnical conditions.
Scour.
Debris impact.
Foundation depth.
Structural continuity.
And ultimately, where you choose to build.

We should also be careful not to conclude from a photograph alone that the house was perfectly designed or that it could withstand every flood. Its survival is likely the result of engineering, site conditions, flow characteristics and, to some extent, luck.

For me, the most powerful lesson is this:

A building is only as resilient as its weakest link, and sometimes the most important engineering decision is made before the first foundation is excavated.

Engineers, what do you see in this photograph?
Is this primarily a lesson in structural design, foundation engineering, site selection, or all three?

12/08/2026

Celebrating my 5th year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. I could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

02/07/2026

*CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FRANK FERGUSON FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME (2027 -2028)*

Study for a Fully Funded Master's Degree in Ireland!

The Embassy of Ireland invites members of the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) to apply for the prestigious Frank Ferguson Fellowship Programme 2027–2028.

What's Included?

- Full Tuition Fees
- Accommodation
- Living Expenses
- Return Airfare

The Fellowship provides an opportunity for eligible Zambian professionals to pursue a one-year Master's degree at the University of Galway, Ireland, equipping them with advanced knowledge and skills to contribute to Zambia's sustainable development.

Who Can Apply?

Applicants must:

Be current members of the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ).
Hold a valid EIZ membership.
Meet all eligibility requirements outlined by the Embassy of Ireland.
Application Period

Applications Open: 29 June 2026 to 26th July 2026.

How to Apply

For eligibility requirements, application guidelines and additional information, visit:

https://www.ireland.ie/en/ireland-fellows-programme/applying-for-the-ireland-fellows-programme/ireland-fellows-frank-ferguson/ or

www.ireland.ie/zambia

or email:

[email protected]

All you need to know about applications for the Frank Ferguson Fellowship in Engineering in University of Galway. To be eligible you must be from Zambia.

30/06/2026

Knowledge vs Experience
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Knowledge and experience are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same.

📚 Knowledge is what you learn through education, training, reading, and research. It gives you the principles, theories, and understanding of a subject.

🛠️ Experience is what you gain by applying that knowledge in real-world situations. It develops practical skills, judgment, confidence, and the ability to solve problems effectively.

In engineering, and indeed in every profession, knowledge tells you what should be done, while experience teaches you how, when, and why it should be done.

The best professionals never stop learning. They continuously expand their knowledge while building experience through practice, mentorship, and lifelong professional development.

Knowledge is the foundation. Experience is the refinement. Together, they create excellence.

Follow Eng. Waddy Sakeni channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCbKsRKGGGB5QdW6V2B

29/06/2026

AS THEY PULL YOU DOWN, THEY MAY BE PUSHING YOU UP.

One of life's greatest ironies is this: the people who work the hardest to stop you often become the reason you become stronger.

Criticism teaches you resilience.
Rejection forces you to improve.
Betrayal teaches you discernment.
Opposition reveals your true character.
Pressure develops strength that comfort never could.

Many people spend years trying to silence those who doubt them. But your energy is too valuable to waste on revenge. Don't build your future around proving people wrong. Build it around becoming the best version of yourself.

The people who underestimated you may have unknowingly given you the motivation to work harder, learn faster, think bigger, and refuse to settle for mediocrity. What they intended as a setback became your stepping stone. Remember this:

- Every closed door pushes you to knock on a better one.
- Every critic gives you another reason to sharpen your skills.
- Every disappointment prepares you for a greater opportunity.
- Every obstacle is an invitation to grow.

Don't allow bitterness to become your motivation. Let purpose be your motivation. Success is sweetest when it is built with integrity, consistency, and excellence—not revenge.

The greatest victory is not watching your enemies lose. The greatest victory is becoming the person you were always capable of being.

Keep moving.
Keep growing.
Keep winning.
Your story is still being written.

Courtesy: Splendid Trainers Zambia 🇿🇲
EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS, TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS.

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