By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Retired in National Interest
This matter brings huge embarrassment to the New Dawn Government.
This is because, in Opposition, President Hakainde Hichilema solemnly pledged that his government will not victimise civil servants and professionals because of their tribal or political affiliations.
To this effect, he commissioned a process to reinstate those professionals he felt were victims of this injustice as soon as he won the August 2021 general elections.
So it has been shocking and embarrassing to witness, for Hichilema’s Government to engage in the very vices that he condemned whilst in Opposition.
He has purged professionals on the flimsy and unfounded allegations that they are members of the Patriotic Front.
Sadly, and through his appointments, he has engaged in gross reverse tribalism! Where officers and professionals from the Northern and Eastern regions of our country have been replaced by persons from the Southern or Zambezi region or by UPND cadres.
So hearing Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa say no civil servants have been retired in national interest is not only surprising but amounts tp wishful thinking on his part!
I think his absence from Cabinet and Lusaka has made him rusty with information or he is deliberately and desperately keen to impress the Master.
This Government has retired so many vibrant professionals in public service, Constitutional and quasi-government institutions on the pretext that they are Patriotic Front cadres.
He probably has not heard about Directors and Assistant Directors in Ministries being fired or being retired in national interest.
He probably has not heard about 38 senior police officers that were recently retired in national interest. 27 of those retired have since sued the State.
Recently, Press Secretaries that served in Embassies abroad and were employed as civil servants had their employment terminated.
Hon. Mweetwa has probably not heard about Prof. Luka Mumba, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Zambia.
Mweetwa has probably not heard about 30 senior managers and engineers that were crudely retired and purged from ZESCO.
Mweetwa has also not heard about the professionals at ZICTA that were purged.
He probably has not heard about similar purges going on public institutions and parastatals.
A systematic process to politicise and tribalism the public service is fiercely underway on the pretext that it is being cleansed of Patriotic Front cadres.
A day will come when the One-Zambia-One Nation Motto, will truly be practiced and its virtues will be upheld.
When people will be employed on merit and will retain their jobs because of their Key Performance Indicators than the matter of political party or tribe they belong to.
EM8
Pragmatic
Experienced
Visionary
Transformational