President Hakainde Hichilema has appointed and sworn in five envoys into the foreign service among them UPND National Chairman Steven Katuka as High Commissioner to Namibia.
Also sworn in is late First President Kenneth Kaunda’s son, Panji Kaunda as High Commissioner to Malawi.
Others are Eunice Luambia as Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Duncan Mulima as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Paulo Posita as Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking after the swearing in ceremony, President Hichilema told the Diplomats to put the interests of the country first and ahead of their personal interests.
President Hichilema said acceptance to serve in government entails that a person must surrender their personal interests and prioritise national interests.
“Your personal interests are subservient to national interests. Our goal is to serve the people of Zambia,” said President Hichilema.
The Head of State said the Envoys deployed to the five jurisdictions comprise freedom fighters and career civil servants, carefully selected in order to serve the country through its diversity.
President Hichilema pointed out that most government officials have forgotten about serving the country and warned that he is monitoring and watching them.
Mr Hichilema said that as leaders, he expects High Commissioners and Ambassadors to unite their staff in the missions and not divide them as they serve the country.
President Hichilema implored the diplomats to familiarise themselves with the UPND manifesto and government’s development agenda in order to push the agenda of economic diplomacy.
The President directed the envoys to accelerate economic and social cooperation between the countries they have been accredited to and Zambia at large.
President Hichilema further challenged the diplomats to ensure that they market Zambia by promoting the country as a safe and best investment destination and creating opportunities for trade.
The Head of State said the Diplomats must ask themselves when they are in their missions as to how many investment opportunities they are creating for Zambia in their jurisdictions.
President Hichilema said he expects Zambia’s new envoys to actualize the many memoranda of understanding Zambia has signed with other countries.
The Head of State directed Mr Katuka to ensure that a memorandum of understanding is signed by June 2022 between Zambia and Namibia for Oil and Gas to lower the cost of energy in the country.
President Hichilema said the Kazungula Bridge must be utilised effectively to harness trade between Zambia and Namibia.
President Hichilema also directed Zambia’s new High Commissioner to Malawi, Panji Kaunda to ensure that the Mwami Border post is commissioned and operationalised to promote trade between the two countries.
The Head of State also directed Zambia’s new Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mr Mulima to follow up on the fuel and fertilizer deal.
The President told Mr Mulima to ensure that he makes calls to Saudi Arabia immediately after the swearing in ceremony and facilitate for a Zambian delegation to go to that country and begin to actualize the fuel and fertilizer deal.
Mr Hichilema advised Ambassador Mulima to follow up the investment and business opportunities discussed and identified on his recent trip to the Middle East.
President Hichilema told Ambassador Mulima that Zambia has to start export agro produce to Saudi Arabia as it is a viable market that has not been tapped into by the country.
The Head of State also directed Ambassador Posita to ensure that the MoUs Zambia recently signed with DRC are actualised for the benefit of Zambians.
President Hichilema urged Ambassador Luambia to ensure that she creates linkages with the UN agencies in Geneva such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Trade Organisation (WTO) to support Zambia in their respective mandates for the benefit of Zambians.
And Mr Kaunda said he will ensure that the Mwami Border post is operationalized to facilitate trade and access to Nacala Port.
High Commissioner Katuka said his appointment is a call to service and will ensure that linkages are established to enhance economic cooperation between Zambia and Namibia and that benefits trickle down to ordinary Zambians.
Ambassador Luambia said she will ensure that Zambia maximises benefits from Geneva-based UN agencies in supporting the country’s development agenda.
And Ambassador Mulima said he will ensure that Zambia maximises investment and trade opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
The swearing cin eremony was attended by Vice President Mutale Nalumango, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Kakubo, Acting Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa and other senior government officials.
Yangu ba Panji, this looks like a suit he inherited. It is oversize.
Katuka looks sick. You are sending an ambassador who looks sick to represent our country.
Anyway ni payback time. When is Nevers going to get a job. Oh ok Nevers ni kabwalala he cannot be appointed
They are wearing terylene suits and tomorrow, it will be G Armani suits because of corruption. Sending these geriatric suckers into diplomacy really sucks!!!!
Good appointments
Henry he has to appease his fellow tribal supporters. What merit is there in this appointment . You are right the man is sick. This will be another costly funeral
@:3 Kaizar, I agree with you and it won’t be long. He will B1 brot1 1n Ded.
Honestly speaking all the appointments lack merit. Anyway let him appease ba kembo banankwe
Well done New dawn. Always on point
The usual suspects crying ..Henry and something else how ironic… I feel for African Politicans because they have to reward everyone who helped them into govt take Panji Kaunda he singlehandly took on the highly corrupt daughter of the Lazy President …Tasila when she fenced off a govt forest in Sinda. HH7 needs to have a long term plan regarding the diplomatic service and start training CBU and UNZA Graduates and civil servants in this department.
These are able people and the appointments represent the ethnic composition of Zambia very well. If this was Lungu or that dead Sata, it would have been 100 percent Bemba/Nyanja! Mwamba and Kambwili can go howling for as long as they want to, masipa tuna abona bonaminungu Bani
Kainyokolile Zulu, if you do not like these appointments you can go f**CK yourself or go back to Malawi and chew imichila ya ba koswe, kach,ikalaiwe.
Kaunjami you are showing us how indisciplined upnd and its president is. I am sure you have watched hh fark himself for you to think it is possible. Next he will go for your ugly mother and you will stay praise him
Henry imagine how depressed the disgruntled youth are. Hahah after shouting we want change, old upnd papas are the only ones getting Jobs. We warned them
Well done for Mr Kaunda………
I always thought he deserved a post in the new GRZ……….
Ka suit ba Panji, not sana!
Time wasters like Kaizar and Henry will always comment but of course and as usual without objectivity. Appears the date August 12, 2021 is still itching in their back side. Lets see what happens, I hope the two chaps recover
At 75yrs if I were Panji Kaunda I could’ve turned down this appointment because it doesn’t make sense. What will a grandfather bring to the table? What’s wrong with the appointing authority?
If this is what the President meant when he said he’ll look after orphans and vulnerable children then I support these appointments because both Kaunda and Katuka fall in that category
National orphan appointed
Kaizer Zulu what qualifications did you have to be appointed special assistant apart from rigging elections and causing Dep IG to flee the country for 5 years. You behave yourself and keep quiet you made people suffer to be in jail for over 1 year on trumped up charges don’t provoke us. We can react so be careful. your friendly judges will soon be exposed
Panji Kaunda can now work from his farm in Sinda misale and commute to Lilongwe like his boss. Now Panji can have a decent pension in US dollars. The other appointments of cadres is a step bakwards and really disappointing.
Comment:Anger rests in the bossom of a fool.! I think Kaizer Zulu and Henry are commenting out of bitterness and anger..! Congratulations to all the new diplomats.
It is payback time. No merit in these appoints. And to imagine that more are coming, ku lolesha fye.
When I look at Panji’s appointment I quickly thank the youths of this country for turning up in large numbers, and woke up very early for that matter, to vote out the PF in order to vote in the UPND govt that will create jobs for the hunger stricken Panji. His hunger can be seen from the suit he wore during the swearing ceremony. Really speaking, such appointments don’t give me the hope that me and many youths had in this govt. Come-on!! you can’t appoint anyone just because they insulted ECL and Tasila on your behalf. Panji should have been left to look after his farm, anyway, am sure he will manage the two tasks since he will emulate his boss – stay at Sinda Misale farm and commute to Lilongwe everyday for his official duties. Napita naya.
The bitter PF bloggers still have a long way. Imagine they are still losing the 2026 elections.