UPND WILL ENDANGER NATIONAL SECURITY – KABIMBA
By SILUMESI MALUMO
LACK of experience by President Hakainde Hichilema will endanger the security of the country, Rainbow Party Secretary-General, Wynter Kabimba has said.
Mr Kabimba was reacting to the recent appointment and public announcement of the Director General of the Intelligence Services, whom he feels should never be revealed.
Mr Kabimba said “I was disturbed and overly disappointed as a citizen who has worked for several years both in the local government service and open civil service as Minister of Justice to read on social media the State House press statement giving the name and identity of the newly appointed Director General and Deputy Director of State Intelligence.
“This is unprecedented in the history of the country and the intelligence community in many countries.
However, the answer is simple. The United States of America does it and it should, therefore be the same here according to the so-called New Dawn government.
“But the American system is different from ours. In the US the appointment of the director of the Central Intelligence Agency must be confirmed by the Senate at an open hearing after his/her appointment by the President,” he said.
Mr Kabimba said in the Zambian system there is no ratification by Parliament of the person appointed as Director-General of State Intelligence.
He said with this non-ratification by Parliament there is no need for exposure of an individual.
He said this is to ensure that such an individual remains part of the state secret by nature of his responsibilities.
Mr Kabimba said it is also intended to guarantee his or her personal security against other foreign agencies and individuals.
What President Hichilema has done is to expose the new Director-General to risky situations which may not be apparent now but could pose a national security breach for the country in the future.
“But if you do not have the experience and you are not willing to learn because you know it all, such is where we stand as a country today and I am certain more shock waves are still on the way,” Mr Kabimba said.
