By Staff Reporter
First Republican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s daughter has been appointed as the deputy chief of protocol for state functions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Sources have told Daily Revelation that Cheswa was moved from Cabinet office where [pp-logged-users] she served for a long time and promoted to the position of deputy chief of protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Cheswa, also handled administrative functions in her late father’s office before her eventual transfer to Cabinet office.
For the position of chief of protocol, Sitwala Meebelo, a stalwart in the Ministry despite a period away from the Ministry at some point, is now the acting chief of protocol after the contract for Bulawayo, who served in the position for a long time was not renewed.
There have been changes at the Ministry in the recent past with both the two permanent secretaries who started out when President Hichilema assumed office, Chembo Mbula and Isabelle Lemba, having been moved on to other roles away from the Ministry.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, the Protocol Department is headed by the Chief of Protocol who is assisted by two (2) Deputy Chiefs of Protocol responsible State Functions and Consular Services respectively. The Protocol Department is responsible for all matters of Protocol and Consular services for Government, Zambian Citizens and Diplomatic corps accredited to Zambia. The functions of the Department include the provision of diplomatic immunities and privileges to the Diplomatic Corps and International Organizations accredited to the Republic of Zambia. The coordination and monitoring of welfare of Zambian nationals abroad and locally engaged staff working in Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations accredited to the Republic of Zambia.
In addition, the Department facilitates travel abroad of Government Leaders and Officers.
List of services that the Protocol Department shall endeavour to simplify and provide electronically as well as manually include the under-listed:
· Aircraft Clearance
· Passports
· VISAS
o Foreign Visas
o Zambian Visas
· Issuance of Identity Cards
· Duty Free Vehicle Clearance
· Allocation of Numbers
· Deregistration of Duty-Free Vehicles
· Duty-Free Clearance of Goods
· Issuance and Extension of Diplomatic Permits
· Transportation of Medicine Abroad
· Consular Services
· Repatriation of the Remains of Zambian Nationals Abroad
· Foreign Trips by The President
· Foreign Trips by The Vice President
· Foreign Trips by The Vice President
· Local Trips
· State Visits
· Translational Services[/pp-logged-users]
