Zambia’s Socialist Party President Dr. Fred M’membe has issued a statement applauding professionals who refuse to do wrong things and resign from their positions. He has urged politicians to be mindful of interfering with the running of public institutions and for appointing authorities to take cognisance of the recent resignations of high-profile professionals from state-run institutions.
In his statement, Dr. M’membe highlighted that the resignations of the Bank of Zambia Governor and ZCCM-IH Board Chairperson were triggered by the divergence of views between the appointing authority and the concerned persons running public institutions. He stressed that political interference by the appointing authorities can compromise the corporate governance standards of state institutions and create an environment of distrust.
He said, “It’s pleasing to see some professionals refusing to do wrong things and resigning from their positions. This is the professional culture we would like to emerge in our country among those appointed to public office.”
He suggested that their resignations were likely triggered by their conscience on breaching corporate governance standards. “One common thread of the resignations we have cited is that these are individuals who have worked both local and abroad for reputable institutions and are highly qualified individuals who are well conversant with corporate governance issues. Therefore, these resignations must have been triggered by their conscience on breaching corporate governance standards.”
Dr. M’membe urged professionals appointed in public office to prioritize their professionalism and resist taking decisions imposed upon them by the appointing authorities. He emphasized that in the event the heat is too much, they should step down to maintain the integrity of state institutions and strengthen the economy.
Dr. M’membe’s statement comes amid leaked audio involving a provincial minister, the Head of State and FRA Board chair, where political interference was evident. The Socialist Party President believes that this is an opportunity for professionals to exercise their conscience and resist external undue influence.
Dr. M’membe urged appointing authorities to take note of these resignations and desist from interfering with the running of state institutions. He said, “We urge the appointing authorities to take cognisance of these developments and strongly desist from interfering with the running of state institutions. This is evident from the recently leaked audio which involved a provincial minister, the Head of State and FRA Board chair.”
Dr. M’membe’s call for a culture of professionalism in Zambia’s public institutions is a step towards creating a transparent and accountable government. His statement is a reminder that senior public officials are appointed based on their competence to independently discharge their duties, and it is their delegated responsibility to make independent decisions without external undue influence.
Boz governor resigned? Lusakatimes telling lies again. You think that t0nga man can resign from a tonga led govt
Yes he can. We Tongas are people of high integrity, hard work and compassion, something you KaIzar, Lungu and other animals in PF are the opposite of. We produce. We do not steal. Only a tribalist like you is obsessed with talking about tribalism. This government reflects the diversity of Zambia. There are people from all regions and all tribes. Your governments were of 2 regions and 2 tribes. You looted other regions to build 4 universities in 2 provinces. You loaded the government with your relatives and tribesmen, with whom you robbed the treasury together and left the government in debt it cannot pay. Shut up. Go and eat your mother again, as you said you always have
Why are these resignations being made an issue? If you want to make them an issue, please volunteer hard evidence of why they have left and everyone will then see the issue. No one is even remotely indispensable as Boris Johnson said when he was resigning as prime minister of the UK.
Magoye go eff your cows in the backside. You sick boy. You and upnd are all sick inbred tribalists
If what we heard in the leaked audio of the president and FRA Chair is what is being called interference, then we should be asking for a lot more of it! As for the ZCCM-IH issue, we wait to hear more details as to what constituted interference and why it was done. I trust more information will come out with time.
So there is nothing the “audio” said about interference in who gets a maize contract against others? It looks like some of us selectively listen to such words with intent to chose what we want to hear. How sad!
Ms. Banda had resigned six months ago as the coterie of Valentine Chitalu ( Zambia Privatusation Agency toothpick), Muna Hantuba and Hakainde Hichilema were running parallel board meetings sidelining The Chair lady.
She was told to hold on, but she was forthright in her determination to leave the cabal of thieves.
@Mukunku, yes that was interference at FRA! The people of the C/B were denied maize when they were in a more critical situation with mealie-meal shortage. Let’s not sugar-coat the problem.
@ Mutulangoma. Nobody is sugar coating anything. The FRA Chair was given ample opportunity in that conversation to put across a dissenting position or an alternate proposal. He opted not to. I believe the president twice mentioned that he was only facilitating or chairing. Are you saying the Chair felt too intimidated to even air his basic views. If the Chair felt CB was being unfairly denied maize (as you assert), he should have said so!
Fred cannot lie!! He has connections with some civil servants. If an audio can be leaked by a minister what about a resignation.
There is no smoke without fire!!!
Hope you will also do the same when your time comes.
Confusing reporting. Who resigned from Bank of Zambia? And surely, how do those questions raised by the President to his operatives on a serious issue of mealie meal shortages deemed as interference?