By Isaac Zulu
Vice President Mutale Nalumango has warned civil servants that are frustrating the UPND government’s development agenda that they should not cry foul when they are identified and dealt with.
And Nalumango has said that the 200 civil servants that are on holding positions have not been fired, but could not be absorbed in the civil service following the realignment of government ministries by the UPND administration.
Responding to Itezhi-tezhi member of parliament Twambo Mutinta, during the Vice President’s Question Time in Parliament, who asked what advice she would give to civil servants who are in a habit of frustrating and delaying the implementation of government programmes, Nalumango said that government is aware that there are some individuals in the public service who are frustrating the UPND government’s development agenda and they should not cry foul once they are identified and dealt with.
She said that “a civil servant is a public worker who should work with the government of the day.”
Nalumango said that the UPND administration is committed to accelerate the execution of its development programme, and as such, would not take kindly to civil servants that would want to derail the implementation of development programmes and projects across the country.
“And I always say that you should not be political as a civil servant. You have to work with the government of the day. Don’t frustrate government’s development agenda. If you are identified, don’t cry foul,” Nalumango said.
She also urged civil servants to acquaint themselves with the UPND manifesto and not continue holding on to previous governments’ manifestos, saying civil service should be perpetual.
“You are even saying ifwe ni permanent, bakaya futi bakatusanga. If you joined the civil service during the UNIP and you are still holding on to the UNIP manifesto, it is gone. If you joined under the MMD and you are still holding on to the MMD manifesto, you are in a wrong place. If you worked in the PF government and you are still holding on to the PF manifesto, it is gone! Civil service should be perpetual,” Nalumango said. “You need to adjust and adapt to the UPND government’s way of doing things. You need to understand the UPND manifesto and our implementation plan.”
And responding to Lunte member of parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya, who said that there are 200 civil servants on holding positions and wanted to know if the UPND government has relieved them off their duties, Nalumango said that the said individuals have not been fired but could not be absorbed in the civil service following the realignment of government ministries by the UPND administration.
“The 200 civil servants, I don’t know if they are indeed 200, that you are saying are on holding positions have not been fired. After the realignment of government ministries like Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Gender as well as the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs; most of them could not be absorbed. Of course the recall of individuals in diplomatic missions has been going on. And some people are on contracts and so on. It’s a combination of factors and that is why you are saying there are civil servants on holding positions,” said Nalumango.
