Fr. Leonard Chiti
The Zambia Elections Information Centre (ZEIC) Council of Elders says it is illegal, immoral, shameful and disgraceful for civil servants to be campaigning for PF the party in government.
ZEIC also says it is greatly appalled by the conduct of civil servants who are engaging themselves in partisan politics ahead of the of August 11 general elections.
In press statement made available to Zambian Eye, Council chairperson Father Leonard Chiti said it is illegal, immoral,shameful and disgraceful for civil servants to be campaigning for PF, the ruling party.
Fr Chiti explained that through the ZEIC platforms on SMS, social media, email and monitoring platforms,the Council has received numerous reports of civil servants such as District Commissioners who have gone all out into partisan politics.
“We have recorded a number of cases where senior government employees have been seen to openly campaign for the ruling party. What is even more saddening is that in some cases, these officials are abusing their positions to trample on the rights of innocent citizens who may not agree with their political stance,” Fr Chiti noted.
“In one heart rending example, a District Commissioner in a rural constituency stopped food distribution at a school because the women who were doing that belonged to an opposition party. We have also received reports of District Commissioners imposing cadres to be engaged as voter education officers,” Fr Chiti said.
“As a Council, we find such conduct by civil servants to be disgraceful, shameful, unethical, unconstitutional, immoral, illegal and unacceptable. It must stop forthwith.
“We cannot have cadres masquerading as civil servants, at public expense. Let cadres be cadres, and let civil servants be civil servants. Civil servants need to stay out of partisan politics. The role of civil servants is to serve the people, including those who may carry different political views.
“Civil servants must leave politics to the politicians and must at all times conduct themselves in a manner that shows they respect the people who are their employers,” he said.
Fr Chiti explained the role of civil servants is to ensure that government policies are implemented to the expectation of the people. The moment a civil servant becomes an active participant in partisan politics, they compromise their ability to independently and efficiently carry out their duties in a manner that is accountable to the citizens. their allegiance is clearly to the party they are supporting.
The council of elders called on all political parties abusing public servants to put an immediate stop to this saying the citizens are watching and will at the right time hold to account those officials abusing their offices.