By Gerald Nkisu Katayi
In recent past Zambians have taken keen interest to serve mother Zambia; medical doctors, lawyers, preachers and businessmen are leaving their professions to join civil service. This was not so many years ago; joining civil service was not a noble thing.
Public service was Hobson’ choice for the ordinary; those with “connections” worked for private companies or they just left the country for better jobs. Doctors, nurses and teachers were trekking in their big numbers to foreign countries where many to this day are massaging old rich white people’s bodies and changing diapers for a living. To them it was still better to do add jobs than to work for their own government.
The Zambian government was faced with a challenge to retain manpower and avoid “brain drain” as many professionals were leaving for “green pastures.”
Those who worked for the government had to endure hardships, conditions of service was so poor that civil servant were easily identified from the way they dressed, normally their jackets were shrinking, and lunch was mukoyo and “local buns.” Despite their hardships these “pioneers” were result oriented and corrupt free.[pullquote]Fighting corruption should not be targeted on former leaders only, civil servants should be probed, tasked to explain their source of wealth; for “it is the little foxes that destroy the vineyard.”[/pullquote]
On the flip side many professionals from different walks of life, even those abroad are showing great interest in joining the public service. This is not due to unemployment, because, successful lawyer and medical doctors are leaving all their achievements for civil service.
Why are these professionals leaving “green pastures” for government jobs? This turn of event is surprising because conditions of service in government have not changed; it is common knowledge that those in private sector are well paid than those in government.
The question however remains. Why are these professional Zambians joining the service which they formally avoided? To answer the question, we have to look at the modern civil servant. Today’s civil servant in Zambia is not a public servant any longer. They are bosses; they dress above “reproach,” they own beautiful and expensive cars. They eat in modern restaurants. They live in mansions; with potbellies, not due to kwashiorkor but over indigence.
The civil service has become so corrupt. There’s no accountability for their new found wealth. Each year, Auditor generals report show anomalies in government ministries. Billions of public funds are misappropriated; the current one is from the judiciary department.
This is the “aha moment.” This is the main reason; many are leaving their jobs to join the public service; to plunder public funds.
The other question could be why are these modern civil servants so notorious and unpunished? Civil service code of conduct is very ambiguous. It takes years to fire a civil servant; in most cases they are retired on public interest with great pay. This is why Auditor’s reports have little repercussion.
If the billions which are unaccounted for in each ministry every year were put to good use, we both could have a better Zambia. But, alas! Apart from Lusaka, the rest of the country remains the same; poor roads, poor citizens but rich civil servants.
These shameless criminals have gathered “Dutch courage” and can stick their tongue out on you without remorse. “Corruption loads us more debt; takes away vigor from our arms, wisdom from our councils, and every shadow of authority and credit from the most venerable parts of our constitution.” Burke.
Fighting corruption should not be targeted on former leaders only, civil servants should be probed, tasked to explain their source of wealth; for “it is the little foxes that destroy the vineyard.”
Author, you started your article very well. You started by articulating issues. However, towards the end of your article you seem to be full of rage and jealousy towards a civil servant. Only you have the answer to my why question. By the way, I should be quick to point out correct you that conditions of service over the years have changed and this is what is attracting people from the private sector to join the public sector. If at all there is difference in pay between different categories of jobs in the private sector as compared to the public sector, it is very minimal. Let us take, middle management job, for instance, in the private sector one would be paid K4.5 mil per month while in the public sector one gets K3.8 mil, where would you work, Mr. Author? CSs also get loans from banks!
Civil servants are the richest employees in Zambia because the steal public funds but no one can dare raise a finger because in general we glorify thiefs and crooks for how else can they get away with this kind of theft.
Nevers Mu mba is a lia r and a mon ey lau ndering ma chine
Him and the de puty Mr Nz oya are ste aling tax pa yers money. They had fired Mr Tem bo beca use he knew about this sc am and was aga inst it. They also have a office slut , Caro lina Rod- riguez who is also abus ing the money. The Ottawa Zam bian mis sion are th ieves
We need tangible evidence – author is all over the place with mere allegations (which may be unfounded in the end)!!!
An insult to the majority.
The author should know that the same gvt was spending billions employing so called expatriates some of whom had nbo qualifications at all yet they were paid in hard currency 20 times more than locals.The Zamtbian gvt has served foreigners better than its own.Even today this is still happening.Look at the Chinese
When i was a teacher in Zambia i was earning K1400.oo a month while expatriates earned US$750.00 a month, $250 and had gratuity of more than a $1000.If i was earning half of this then, i wouldnt have left my country
This article assumes that civil servants are thieves and are corrupt. Nothing is far from the truth. We have the majority of CSs who are hardworking, honest and dedicated to their mother country. Yes the salaries are still lower than in the private sector, but they are able to make ends meet through loans from banks, government and even the loan sharks. Occassionally some categories of civil servants are fortunate enough to get extra money through allowances that come from local and foreign travels, but so what, this is a condition of service. Today’s civil servant has known to invest, unlike our old folks who were given government houses upon starting work, todays’ CS starts out renting and as a resuld all categories of CSs are building houses. So please do not insult the innocent CSs
#7 you answered my day
I work in the diaspora. Yes I left for greener pasture because my Govt. employed Expatriates some of whom had lower qualifications than myself but they earned much more than I did. To be specific I earned K2,500 per month while my counterparts earned K50,000, they hard return Air tickets up to four dependants. When I asked for annual leave, I only got a Third Class train ticket to my home even though there was no train to my nearest town.
kakbnaaahin ako….medyo hinulaan ko yung last part ng exam. kulang na kasi ako ang time ko. Sana next time gawing atleast 3hrs ang exam.
Govt should award 100% salary increament to all civil servants and not only to health workers. Graduates working in various ministries and other Govt institutions are as important as medical doctors, just to give an example.
everyone deserves a 100%..we are done..wazigong’a weka sata!!
The author sounds very bitter through and through: You say, and i quote “Doctors, nurses and teachers were trekking in their big numbers to foreign countries where many to this day are massaging old rich white people’s bodies and changing diapers for a living. To them it was still better to do add jobs than to work for their own government.” I have always argued that the negativity associated with carework jobs is what has made Zambia a poor country. Here bwana, what matters is the dollar you earn. I stand up and clap for a careworker that has earned to support their family here and at home while others are burrying the money they never worked for. Like it or not, am happy to sweep the streets if my money will be genuine; and I will genuinely build a house in zambia
#12: continued: Concerning civil servants; the ones I know are all professionals with companies within their specialised fields. In fact most of them I was with at a named University and are all professional or chartered this or that; who run businesses apart from working for the government. They pay taxes too; and when the government starts searching for them as thieves, they will be very dissapointed. Government does not pay non-practicing allowances; so people practice. Yes you may have a point about pilfering in the civil service, unprofessionalism and lack of declaration of interest; but my friend you cannot paint everyone with the same brush called “corruption”.
bveoeld cse personnel, pls don’t make it hard for us-the examinees to wait for the april25 result! you’re just prolonging our agonies…. hopefully next week the result will be revealed aalready…
Stealing in the civil service is called “capacity building”, no wonder billions of kwacha disappear under the noses of “controlling officers”. They just control the looting of public resources.
Kapoko is not a representative of all civil servants; in fact Kapokoism was a true reflection of Mwadya Mweka Dady (MMD) wayy of operating. If that was not the case, why did they remove the abuse of office clause?
Good observation, its been known for thirty years now, any action?? i wonder.
The system is out dated.
if you arrest them but not change the system,its like removing cobwebs but leaving the spiders
20 years ago, one joined the civil service from school because one needed experience and training. When one acquired some experience then they gravitated into the parastatal companies for more money. Stars from the parastatals were poached by the private companies for even better conditions. Today, the ‘political’ ranks of the civil service are the best payers in the country. That explains why even ‘successful’ lawyers, business men and others would kill to be appointed to the civil service. Something is definitely wrong!!!
Chills #6 You comment is spot on. While the manner bwana kambwili is doing things is unconventional. He has the ZAMBIAN WORKER at heart. Staff development programmes shouldn’t be for Nkandu Luo and her family but all Zambians. I am shocked that the Chinese should act in the manner reported as in their own country there is instant justice. Calling a Minister rude? And the Ambassador calling the President to report a Minister. Maybe the Chinese should recall their Ambassador. There are laws, and it is known worldwide that they are not the best at upholding and respecting laws. Bribes that occurred in the Previous govt it is not happening NOW…Bravo Kambwili
ignorant author… i personally joined govt because if you want to upgrade your qualifications, private sector cant guarantee you leave even if you are writing exams. i intend to work for 3 or 4 years and then get scho;arship for a masters (which is almost impossible to do in private sector) when i become elligiible. also some civil servants have ventures like grocery shops, farms (in rural areas), taxis (bought using loans), trade in charcoal etc. the funding that my institution is too little that even if i plundered the resources i would not be able to even buy a laptop!!!
excuse the typing errors!!!
It is s.t.u.p.i.d to lable all civil servants as theives. The cival service has among the best conditions you can get. for example. One is intitled to 10 times your annual salary as a loan at 10 % interest fixed your talking of 300m in most cases payable in 20 years. if you attend a foeriegn short course or meeting it is us342 par day regardless of which country and you can choose to spend 40dollards and save 300 dollas. Think about it you b.a.st.ar.d and apologise