Civil servants retirements, reshuffles not tribal – Veep

Sat, 11 Mar 2017 13:23:07 +0000

THE ongoing transfers, retirements and firing of civil servants are not tribal or political but meant to revamp the civil service, Vice President Inonge Wina has clarified.

Ms. Wina said Government, through the Public Management Service Division (PMSD), which was under the President’s Office, had the mandate to retire, fire or transfer civil servants in national interest.

Ms Wina said this in a statement yesterday following concerns raised by UPND Monze Central Member of Parliament Jack Mwiimbu who alleged that the ongoing retirement,
reshuffles and dismissals were targeted at those suspected to have supported the opposition during the August 11, 2016, elections.

The Vice President acknowledged that some civil servants had been retired in national interest but that it was not tribal or political. “Mr. Speaker, some civil servants have been retired in national interest,” Ms Wina said.

She explained that civil servants retired were from Central (1), Eastern (3), Lusaka (2), Northern (5), North-Western (15) and Southern (9), bringing the total number to 37.

“The reshuffles and retirement are not tribal or political but meant to revamp the civil service,” the Vice President said.

She said the Government was avoiding a sluggish civil serve because it was meant to meet the expectations of Zambians.

Meanwhile, the Vice President told Parliament that Zambians started experiencing poverty immediately after privatization.

She said after the mines and several other parastatal companies were privatized a lot of Zambians were left destitute as they could not sponsor their children to school.

The Vice President was responding to Senanga (UPND) Member of Parliament Mulowa Mukumbuta who wanted to find out if Government had the political will to fight corruption.

Mr. Mukumbuta said the PF government promised to run the country on the principle of the Ten Commandments which included “thou shall not steal”.

He alleged that contrary to the promise, there was corruption which had led to many Zambians into poverty.

But the Vice President said the PF government was determined to fight corruption and cautioned the member to be careful when accusing the executive of alleged stealing or corruption.