Masebo warns partisan civil servants

Tourism and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo has warned that government would take stern action against civil servants who will align themselves with opposition political parties.

Ms. Masebo warned civil servants not to engage in politics with opposition political parties in their work places because doing so would result in them being dismissed from their jobs.

She stated that the allegiance of all civil servants should be to the government of the day.

“If you want to play politics of the opposition, you are gone because your allegiance as civil servants is to the government in power,” she said.

Ms. Masebo however, said if civil servants engaged in Patriotic Front (PF) politics, government would turn a blind eye as this was normal since the PF was ruling.

She said this yesterday when she addressed Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officers at the Livingstone City Council Chambers.

Earlier, Ms. Masebo said she was aware of the numerous problems that ZAWA was facing but assured that government was in the process of addressing the challenges.

She said the newly appointed ZAWA Board was currently looking into poor working conditions, human-animal conflicts, nepotism, staff training and promotions adding that these would be addressed in the shortest possible time since government was in a hurry to develop the country and uplift the living standards of people.

Ms. Masebo however asked ZAWA officers at grass root level to suggest what should be contained on ZAWA Act which was to be reviewed.

 

She said junior officers have valuable knowledge on what needs to be contained in the Act.

The ZAWA officers earlier complained of intimidation, delayed salaries, poor working conditions, corruption and lack of office space.

And Southern Province Permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga cautioned supervisors in the civil service to enforce discipline in
their respective departments.

Dr. Mulenga however urged supervisors not to intimidate their subordinates but to be fair and just since “where fairness exists,
there is justice”.