In Europe, Masebo would have been fired and charged for ‘crimes against humanity’: It is wrong to promote ‘serial killers’ in public offices
…..It is both humanly sad and ethnically shocking that HH only decided to transfer a minister who is directly responsible for causing a historic medical crisis and thereby leading to the deaths of thousands of Zambians from preventable and treatable diseases….
By Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba
1. On 22nd August 2022, BBC reported that Portugal’s health minister, Dr Marta Temido resigned her position after a 34 year pregnant tourist from Indian woman died after being turned away from a full maternity ward between Lisbon hospitals. The death of one person was enough to trigger her the celebrated health minister of Portugal who was credited for positively steering Portugal through Covid to immediately resign.
2. On 13th Match, 2021, Jordan’s Health Minister, Nathir Obeidat resigned amid growing anger after seven (7) COVID-19 patients died when their oxygen supply ran out at the government hospital in the town of al-Salt. King Abdullah II arrived at the hospital to help calm angry families and immediately ordered the suspension of the hospital’s director.
3. On 10th Match, 2019, Tunisia’s health minister, Abdel-Raouf El-Sherif resigned after 11 babies mysteriously died in a hospital in the capital. The health ministry and state prosecutors launched investigations into the cause of the babies’ death which was likely due to a blood infection. Treating this as a professional scandal, the minister had to immediately resign before being fired.
4. In 23 July, 2024 in Zambia, health minister, Sylvia Masebo updated the National Assembly that 61 out of 74 containers of medication which were supposed to be stored at the ZAMMSA warehouse were diverted to a private warehouse in Lusaka without the knowledge of the Ministry and the ZAMMSA board. This medical scandal involves medicines worth more than U$21 million dollars.
5. Due to public outrage, the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) Board only decided to suspend its Director General, Mr. Victor Nyasulu. But most stakeholders have called for the expulsion or resignation of the Minister herself as she is equally being investigated as well as the dissolution of the entire ZAMMSA board. This is another historic scandal as thousands of Zambians have died from treatable diseases.
6. In like manner, when this Hon Silvia Masebo was appointed Minister of Health in 2021, she arbitrarily dissolved the ministerial procurement committee for close to a year. and caused a stand-off that saw the country be totally without drugs, medical supplies and laboratory reagents.
7. This act was brutally shocking, morally annoying and most stakeholders violently condemned the development as thousands of Zambians died from preventable and treatable diseases countrywide due to Masebo’s policy and political deeds.
8. In 2022, Masebo engineered what we could termed as policy and structured genocide against innocent civilians. During this ‘dark period’, this minister ceded procurement powers from the ministry to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Authority (ZMMSA). This structural and policy change could not be technically justified.
9. Thereafter, this minister engaged in two major scandals; the proposed construction of the $100million infectious diseases hospital, and the Egyptian $65 million drug procurement scandal that resulted in 61 trucks being marooned in Beira, Mozambique and Lusaka since November 2023. During all these Masebo scandals, more people have died from preventable diseases across the country.
10. But in all these scandals, President HH only transferred Hon Silvia Masebo this week to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources by swapping her with Dr. Elijah Muchima to take up her former Ministry. In a normal set up, Masebo is supposed to be fired and investigated for both corruption as well as orchestrating an indirect genocide on her people.
11. It is both humanly sad and ethnically shocking that President HH only decided to transfer a minister who is personally submerged in serious scandals and directly responsible for causing a historic medical crisis and the death of thousands Zambians from preventable and treatable diseases.
12. As Republican President, HH was sworn in to protect and save the lives of Zambians. But his actions on Masebo violated his constitutional mandate and political responsibility. In all these scandals, President HH stands out to be the chief accomplice to Masebo’s misdeeds and misbehavior.
Dr Chris ZUMANI Zimba is a Political Scientist, Researcher, Author & Consultant specialized in Comparative Global Governance and Democratic Theories. He holds a PhD, MA, BA and Cert in Political Science. Zimba was President Lungu’s Political Advisor from December 2019 to August 2021. By philosophical approach, Dr. Zimba is a Pan Africanist as well as Afro-Christian by religion.
Email:chriszumaniZimba.cz@gmail.com
We may not know what the president is thinking on different issues.The idea of wanting him to fire a minister before establishment of the truth on the matter is not correct.If you know and you have the data go and report to relevant authority not just making unclear statements and false witness against the Minister.It is not fair.Tell us what you know properly not political talks.
Atypical of people, the want to turn their assumptions into facts. The death of the IBA is currently unclear. Why would we speculate? The said Abduction of Jayjay, alot of stories and the Police are investigating or have the matter in court. Until judgement or the Police give us details. Why speculate.
The accusations made on opposition leaders, ECL and various crimes. Until reports and conclusion is made on these matters we would be speculating.
Lets not join Mwamba and others who are in the habit of making conclusion devoid of facts.
What about those persons who took President Sata to Israel Hospital demanding operation immediately upon arrival; but Doctors there, first checked for his strength and recommended for President Sata to be on drip for three days. They refused and decided to fly to London. Mid air we received sad news. Respond Zumani.
Where were you bwana during the Honey Bee era, those were the worst days for Ministry of Health. Ministry of Health has never recovered since Kapoko days to date. It just needs a complete overhaul.