By Staff Reporter
Zambia’s former Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba has described the ongoing recall of diplomats and civil servants as a purge.
And government sources have told Daily Revelation that High Commissioner to South Africa Major General Jackson Miti has been recalled, together with his deputy.
In a statement to Daily Revelation, Amb Mwamba, who is one of the Ambassadors that were recalled in the first batch, with another one currently ongoing, said President Hichilema condemned the recall of diplomats and ambassadors as unnecessary and a drain on national resources, but he was today doing the very things he condemned.
“When in Opposition, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema said the previous diplomatic recalls made by both President Michael Sata and President Lungu were unnecessary as they were a huge drain on public coffers. Yet we have seen he has done the very issue he condemned while in Opposition,” Amb Mwamba said. “We recognise that every government makes changes at the top when a new leader assumes office. But this should be done on its own merit. But what we have seen is a purge of top professional civil servants and their only crime is that they were appointed by his predecessor.”
Amb Mwamba said President Hichilema had reinforced the fear that the civil service will be partisan “as he has since replaced those deemed to be PF with those that are UPND.”
“President Hakainde Hichilema’s changes have been made on purely partisan lines ignoring the professional disposition and standing of those appointed or dismissed,” Amb Mwamba said.
The fired permanent secretaries and recalled diplomats will continue being on the government payroll, and will only be removed from the system once their gratuities for the number of years they served have been settled.
Sources in government have told Daily Revelation the High Commissioner General Miti and his deputy have received recall letters, along side those mentioned in the Daily Revelation story of yesterday, including High Commissioners to Nigeria (Solomon Jere), Namibia (Stella Libongani), Australia (Frank Bwalya), Mozambique (Paul Lumbi) and Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ngosa Simbyakula, among many others.
Sources have said the recalls have hit overdrive following the settlement in the appointment of ministers, permanent secretaries and district commissioners.
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