By Richard Aaron Ngoma
The PF has signalled commencement of a possible purge of experienced senior economic and financial management staff at Bank of Zambia. In a Muvi TV, interview yesterday, PF Lusaka Province Chairman Kennedy Kamba called for the resignation of all Directors, that he said were not in compliant with the PF’s manifesto in running the economy. Kamba accused the unnamed Directors of sabotaging the growth of the economy and deliberately obstructing the growth of the Kwacha, because they belonged to the opposition. He denounced the Bank Management for their failure in promoting ‘hardworking staff’, whose morale he claimed was very low.
Several Zambian economists have privately expressed misgivings at Kamba’s statement describing it as a signal of the beginning of a politically driven purge by the party, against senior staff that were appointed by the sacked Bank of Zambia Governor Denny Kalyalya.
BOZ insiders who spoke on condition they were not identified, have revealed that the PF has lined up a number of Central Bank positions that they want to reward to inexperienced political cadres within and outside BOZ. The impending ejection has sent waves of panic among staff, especially those Kalyalya worked closely with some of whom gave up lucrative jobs in the diaspora to join the Central Bank at his behest.