What's the cost of a bloated Government -lubinda asks

By NATION REPORTER THE UPND regime should justify the restructuring of ministries by disclosing its cost, expected benefits and measurable results before Parliament approves the changes, former Justice Minister Given Lubinda has said. Mr Lubinda says a new ministry could only be justified if it improved coordination, accelerated decision-making, strengthened accountability or enhanced service delivery at a reasonable cost. He said Government should therefore provide Parliament and the public with clear answers on what the proposed structure would cost, what it would change and what results it was expected to produce. “A new ministry is justified only if it produces better coordination, faster decisions, stronger accountability or improved services at a reasonable cost,” Mr Lubinda said. The former Kabwata Member of Parliament was commenting on the Government’s Notice of Motion submitted to Parliament on October 23, 2026, proposing the dissolution, realignment and establishment of ministries. The proposed structure separates several functions that were previously housed under single ministries, including Electricity and Petroleum; Trade and Exports and Industry; Infrastructure and Urban Development and Housing; Education and Skills and Higher Education; as well as Youth and Sports and Culture and Arts. Mr Lubinda said while the changes could amount to genuine administrative reform, Government risked expanding the machinery of the State under the guise of realignment if it failed to demonstrate the financial and operational benefits. “The public deserves more than assurances. It deserves figures, clear responsibilities and measurable results,” he said. He said Parliament should demand a comparison between the current and proposed structures, including the cost of ministers, permanent secretaries, senior administrative positions, offices, transport, staffing and other operational requirements. Mr Lubinda also questioned whether separating closely linked functions could create duplication and weaken coordination. “If Electricity is separated from Petroleum, what performance problem will that solve?” he asked. Mr Lubinda similarly questioned how separating Trade and Exports from Industry would improve exports, industrial production or investment. Mr Lubinda said the same scrutiny should apply to the proposed separation of Education, Skills and Higher Education, particularly because the sectors were closely linked to employment and economic growth. “A new ministry is not a performance improvement unless it produces better outcomes,” he said. Mr Lubinda warned that every additional administrative cost carried an opportunity cost because resources used to expand Government structures could otherwise be directed towards health, education, agriculture, roads, water, sanitation, electricity and employment. He said Parliament should not become a rubber stamp and should require Government to explain why the existing structure was inadequate, what problems the proposed changes would solve and how success would be measured. “The people of Zambia did not elect a government to produce a more elaborate organisational chart. They elected a government to deliver electricity, jobs, schools, hospitals, roads, water and opportunity,” Mr L ubinda said. Ends.

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