The unethical behaviour of President Lungu and the PF continues as they have now brought in two serving diplomats who sit on government payroll to lead up their party political media team, while Frank Bwalya has finally been confined to the sidelines.
Perhaps we can take this opportunity to remind President Lungu of the stance he took on the importance of a professional and unbiased civil service just weeks ago.
This move suggests a reversal in his position of not allowing civil servants to engage in partisan politics. As such, it is the latest example of President Lungu’s preference for inconsistency and inability to make clear decisions and stick to them. Such visionless and confused leadership is serving to provoke lawlessness in the country and must come to an end. We need leaders who lead by example and whose words are matched in action.
President Lungu is fully aware that Zambian diplomats Emmanuel Mwamba and Anthony Mukwita are back in the country and busy engaging themselves in partisan local politics.
Emmanuel Mwamba has been on Muvi TV and various radio stations where he is openly conducting partisan PF campaigns. Yet there has been no announcement detailing his resignation or dismissal from his diplomatic missions.
It is a widely held and internationally respected requirement that diplomats cannot engage in partisan politics, either of their accredited countries or of their home country.
That Emmanuel Mwamba and Anthony Mukwita are on the civil service payroll at the level of deputy permanent secretary and have abandoned their offices and duties to engage in partisan politics is an abuse of office that should be punished by the authorities. They have crossed the line and are now serving as PF cadres. As such they should be recalled immediately as they obviously do not understand their roles as “diplomats”.
Charles Kakoma
UPND Spokesperson