Govt flouting the law over ZAMMSA DG appointment

By Daily Revelation Editor

The government has advertised for the appointment of a director general for the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA), stating that the minister of Health is inviting applications from suitably qualified and experienced Zambians nationals to fill the vacant position, and that the same director general will report to the board.

The government announced in the advert dated June 20, 2025, that the director general would oversee the procurement, storage and distribution of quality and cost-effective medicines and medical supplies to all public health facilities in the country in order to ensure ease of access and facility reduction of the national disease burden.

However, we have a few questions for those in government to ponder on as they move along this dangerous path. Since they have advertised for the DG position, we want to find out who this director general they are hiring is going to be reporting to since he is supposed to report to the board. However, it is common knowledge to all that there has been no board for close to one year since the dissolution of the Anna Chifungula-led board. Why is the ministry directly hiring the director general when the ZAMMSA Act of 2019 clearly specifies that the board will hire the director general?

Here is what 14. (1) of the ZAMMSA Act of 2019 states: “The Board shall appoint, through a competitive and transparent process, a Director-General who shall be— (a) the chief executive officer of the Agency; and (b) responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Agency. (2) A person qualifies for appointment as Director-General if that person— (a) holds a bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent qualification, which is accredited or recognised and validated by the Zambia Qualifications Authority; (b) holds a postgraduate degree in business management, public health, pharmacology, pharmacy, supply chain management or a related field, which is accredited or recognised and validated by the Zambia Qualifications Authority; (c) has at least five years’ experience working at a senior management level; (d) is of proven integrity; and (e) has not been convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty. (3) The Director-General shall attend meetings of the Board and of a committee, and may address those meetings but shall not vote on any matter.”

Those in government, therefore owe it to the Zambian people to explain which law they are following in advertising for the appointment of the director general, since as far as the law is concerned, the only positions the minister is allowed to fill are at board level. It surely raises questions when people begin to flout clearly stipulated laws to fill in a vacancy, especially when some people who have held the position of director general in the agency have publicly complained about political interference in the management and procurement of services to favour those who are connected to the powerful in government.

We urge those in government to avoid these attempts to entrench wrongdoing in the management of an agency as important as ZAMMSA. They must understand that these agencies are supposed to operate independent of government. In the past, they operated as departments under the ministries, but because of a realisation that they were inefficient, legislation was put in place to make them independent, and they can only remain effective if they are allowed to operate as such.

We urge those who are intent on perpetuating illegalities to seriously reflect on their wrongdoing before they find themselves in trouble with the law, and start complaining about ‘persecution’ when their time to account arrives. Just stop it! Let your actions be guided by national patriotism always as opposed to devising every possible way to entrench wrongdoing.