The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) has said that Government is aware of concerns by the General public regarding delayed appointments of Permanent Secretaries and District Commissioners among others.
Speaking during a media briefing today the UPND Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said that the process is ongoing and that Government is not paying a blind eye to these concerns but wants to make appointments based on merit.
Mr. Mweetwa said the authority to appoint is the prerogative of the President and that the Head of State is equal to the task, adding that President Hichilema is taking precautions to ensure the right people are appointed to high offices.
Mr. Mweetwa also emphasized that the Civil service is not political or tribal, as was the case in the previous regime and that the President wants civil servants to know that they are not part of the ruling party but Government, even when there is a change of leadership.
Mr Mweetwa said that President Hichilema is not in a rush to appease a small clique of people to the detriment of the larger population.
Mr. Mweetwa said other appointments under the previous Government were politically motivated and not on merit and charged that history was rife of situations where heads of State made appointments of politically inclined individuals to the detriment of a larger proportion of the population.
“The party, UPND has gotten wind of the issues being raised by the general public concerning the delay in appointments. One of these issues is the appointment of DCs and PSs. I am here to state that the party is not paying a blind eye to these concerns. The President, as and when he deems it fit, he will make these appointments,” said Mweetwa.
He noted that the broken Government system borne out of the past regime’s mismanagement of public resources and high corruption levels had forced the President to be meticulous in effecting changes to government structures.
“We want to make it clear that he (HH) has found the Government extremely dirty…you would be surprised to find that most of the people that you thought should be appointed have so many corrupt issues. Thats why he is taking his time to appoint people. There is serious scrutiny and vetting on people that have to be appointed. The President wants to take his time so that the right people are appointed and that no one in the end questions the people who will be appointed,” he said.
He charged that the Head of State was not ready to swerve from his campaign promise of appointing people on merit.
“The Government is apolotical, therefore, all those who will be appointed to the civil service on merit. The President wants to ensure that all civil servants remain even after there is change of Government,” he said.
He also warned that the law would soon catch up with those who would be found on the wrong side of the law.
Mweetwa also stresses that there is need for UPND members to exercise patience as the President puts modalities in place to enable his New Dawn Administration to create the much-needed jobs and opportunities for the masses.
“We call upon our supporters and citizens to wait upon the pronouncement of the budget this week on Friday.
It is a budget of hope which will show opportunities that will arise in Zambia, job creation especially for people outside the formal sectors” he said.
And Mr Mweetwa reminded the nation that President Hichilema has a vision to revitalize the economy insisting that he is driving a clear message even on civil service appointments.
On assertions that President Hakainde Hichilema did not visit Chiefs in Kasama,
Mr Mweetwa said President’s trip was for Chinsali in Muchinga Province to pay tribute to the late freedom fighter Simon Kapwepwe.
He clarifies that the President’s landing on Kasama Northern Province airstrip was a connection point to Chinsali for a scheduled program.
The whole thing is spoiled by : FOUND A BROKEN DOWN SYSTEM. Just admit that the selection of who gets the job has become delicate because of disenchanted members of your party and region who already feel left out.
In light Mweetwa and HH are saying “To hell with the 2.8”. HH has a 16.2million people to save.
For the first time in Mweetwa’s political life has scored his first truth.
Continue being candid. Not umungulu wapa campaign.
#1 Deja Vu
October 27, 2021 At 4:50 pm
“The whole thing is spoiled by : FOUND A BROKEN DOWN SYSTEM. …….”
What is not true about that line ?????
BMW!
#2 Spaka, inspite of allegations of thefts, the previous Government operated normally. Just point out where the break down was? No you won’t. If it was broken down how did you manage to hold those elections? Yes nothing can be hundred percent which you as a member of the Upnd don’t want to accept. Your president told us that within two hours after being sworn in the Kwacha will appreciate to K10 to a US dollar…. Many hours have passed since he was sworn in. Don’t laugh at PF, they also continued to bury their heads in the sand.
Mweetwa says from the this article…. ” you would be surprised to find that most of the people that you thought should be appointed have so many corrupt issues” .
Indeed Mr Mweetwa we know a lot of these Senior UPND Members wanting jobs are stinking very corrupt. HH did say so when 20 Senior UPND Members approached him wanting the DMMU Jobs to enrich themselves. He said Aikona Man. This was at the the Anderson Mazoka Memorial & Honouring Service. We also not surprised that those who run away with $800,000 are neither from Northern or Eastern Provinces.
It’s not only a small clique who are anxious. It’s the whole country because time you have is short.
Dear Me. And the soft copy of the National Budget to be announced by the Minister of Finance in the next few days is now circulating on the internet from one email account to another. And on WhatsApp. UPND What is wrong with you? This is very embarrassing and a joke.
7# Sadly its true. My wife also got a copy of the next Budget from her Zambian friend who is in China. Very true, the budget is out in the public domain. Story goes the Finance Minister’s Laptop has been hacked by foreigners.
First it was empty coffers and now it’s a broken down system. You thought running Government was as simple as running a law firm or an accounts company or indeed running a ranch. Don’t pass the buck, face the challenges as they come.
Budget circulating on WhatsApp before
official announcement eh!..? How laughable.
Please take your time we have seen how some corrupt elements are now caught up who sang praises after the fact…FIC, DEC, ACC…we want astute peoples never again DPP….Foreign service….ayikona man!!!! Sec to cabinet….Parastatal chiefs loads are wanting….kamata…
Put simply, the tortoise New Yawn government has a lot of connections with crooked people since none of these positions were advertised #JustFixIt
What is the Govt Spokeswoman’s name? Up to now he name would have been well known but it seems she is camera shy ..its like giving the job of a Goalkeeper to the striker..Just do a reshuffle and give Cornelius Mweetwa the job!!
Mr. Cornelius Mweetwa leave these monkeys to yawn all they want. We are in government now, and we call the shorts. Period!
Be very careful with that approach because minority people like me played a huge role in your success, and can also ensure that you lose in the next election. You need to please the right and influential people first. I spent alot of my personal money holding functions for upndin london
Zambians are eagerly and impatiently waiting to see what UPND will give them.
Not just to hear better time coming.Let them
See some benefits which they did not have in
PF rule.
Am waiting for Saulosi to comment!
Fact is Zambia is in good hands now compared to the brutal regime that was kicked OUT.Patience is a virtue noti chipantepante .
Most of you commenting are not even in Zambia ponta all you want we are in government and you wont push us to make stupid decisions like the previous thieving shadow of a government
#18 I am in ZAMBIA, you are in the USA
Is this even a party matter for Mweetwa to comment on? Where is the Chief Government spokesperson?