Mr Chanda said the Constitution of Zambia has no provision to compel a sitting President to consult any opposition leader, including Mr Hichilema, before appointing opposition MPs to government positions.
He said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Sinazongwe MP Richwell Siamunene will today be sworn in as Minister of Defence.
Mr Chanda was reacting to Mr Hichilema’s sentiments in which he has questioned President Lungu’s appointment of Mr Siamunene as minister of Defence.
He said the action by President Lungu is not subject to Mr Hichilema’s demands for permission because it is constitutional.
“The action by President Lungu is an act of national-building and inclusiveness with people in the Cabinet from all parts of the country,” Mr Chanda said.
He said this is the most representative Cabinet since independence with members from all provinces.
President Lungu appointed Mr Siamunene as Minister of Defence on Tuesday. Mr Siamunene becomes the third opposition MP in Cabinet.
And the Royal Foundation of Chiefs in Southern Province has praised President Edgar Lungu for running an all-inclusive Cabinet.
Royal Foundation of Chiefs chairperson Chief Chikanta said the appointment of United Party for National Development (UPND) Sinazongwe Member of Parliament (MP) Richwell Siamunene as Defence Minister showed that Mr Lungu’s administration was all-inclusive.
Chief Chikanta of Kalomo district said Mr Siamunene’s appointment should shame some sections of society who criticized Mr Lungu’s structure of Cabinet.
“For us as chiefs, this appointment of Mr Siamunene is very good, we are so excited because it shows our President (Mr Lungu) has trust in everybody,” he said.
He urged Zambians regardless of political affiliations to support Mr
Siamunene as he takes his position.
In Sinazongwe Constituency, Mr Siamunene’s electorate commended Mr Lungu for elevating their MP saying such a development was unifying.
UPND Southern province Information and Publicity Secretary Rudolph Phiri challenged Mr Siamunene to work hard and fulfill the core mandate of the ministry in line with expectations of Zambians.
Mr Phiri said the Defence ministry was challenging and that Mr Siamunene should prove to the people of Zambia by working hard.
Meanwhile, a cross section of stakeholders has welcomed the appointment of Mr Siamunene as Defence Minister.
Mr Siamunene, who was previously Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Deputy Minister, takes up the post from Mr Lungu who was elected Republican President and was serving as Defence Minister.
Governance expert Ng’ande Mwanajiti commended President Lungu’s decision to appoint Mr Siamunene as Defence Minister.
Mr Mwanajiti said in an interview yesterday that President Lungu’s decision was good because it went a long way in harmonising governance and showed equity in the allocation of positions.
“The Ministry of Defence is practically the third position in Government. In essence, the President has demonstrated that he is willing to entrust the security of the nation in the hands of the opposition,” Mr Mwanajiti said.
He said every Zambian aspired to be in Government and the President’s move should cheer every citizen.
Mr Mwanajiti said he was not looking at Mr Siamunene as an individual that has been appointed Defence minister but his appointment as implementation of the ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ motto.
Mr Lungu, he said, has shown in his ministerial appointments that he did not look at voting patterns but on equity.
He urged all Zambians to criticise only when there was need to and only make comments that added value.
The constitutional provision is indeed clear as refreshed to us by Mr. Chanda. However, there would have been no negatives in this appointment if it was not that the party that put Siamunene in parliament disowned him, before this appointment, when it perceived that he had crosssed the floor and attempted to have him ejected from parliament. An injunction or such other legal restraint on the UPND to carry this action through remains yet to be resolved. That is what the issue is, although now it is water the bridge when the President gets involved. Otherwise congratulations Bwana Siamunene, do not forget the team that built you up to that opportunity.
Read “water under the bridge”
Appointment based on matching balls with GBM. Hooo ok so GBM got vice-president of UPND. So I will give GBM’s former PF ministry to a UPND member too. After all Nawakwi likes to call me Minister of defense…..
Shallow minds of Lungu the “Mr. Me Too”.
Why don’t the UPND expel this siamunene
or at the very least, why doesn’t UPND amend their constitution to state that when and if someone is appointed as par of the opposition Government they will automatically render their constituency vacant.
This is absurd, especially after the admissions of them not having to consult the opposition president,.
Thanks
BB2014
Mushota, UPND can’t change the constitution to fix their rebel MPs ..it is the strategy they would use if they ever got into power. Good news is that the Amendment bill will fix all this nonsense once and for all. A seat will belong to the party and not an individual. I like this a lot
If its genuine appointments, discuss with the opposition president?? Lungu should not think he can’t talk to HH, that’s not leadership??
Grow up Lungu and stop the arrogance, which will take you nowhere. be uself and raise above nonsense..
“The action by President Lungu is an act of national-building and inclusiveness with people in the Cabinet from all parts of the country,” Mr Chanda said.
So its an admission some parts of the Country have been previously & deliberately left out from governance? Reason: “they never voted for us”. Yes they may never have voted for you but why take resources raised from their areas to develop non resourceful areas? Two complete universities in Muchinga funded from non PF areas. Lewanika & Palabana universities not even foundation footings let alone slabs done yet — just bushes around the sites.
One Zambia, Many Nations.
Commendable as the appointment of Hon, Siamunene is, I think on this one Mr. Chanda is missing the point. Legally wise, it could be true that the President cannot consult, but morality and courtesy demands that Mr. H.H. should have been consulted.
Well I think the issue with the current leadership is trying to be accepted across the country, so morality is not in their mind for as long as they are doing things within the confines of the law. We have a tendency of condemning many decisions made by authorities especially when the law is not clear. In this case however, EL has just nailed the support of the Southerners and is within the legal framework, so whatever any other person (especially from UPND) says it will not count. I’m sure if HH for once even recognized EL as president he (EL) would have consulted him!
Well said.
What is the fuss about?
The President of Zambia can appoint the best person for that job….Apart from Hon Kambwile!
QED
First time Mwana njiti has said something sensible supporting ECL and PF decisions unlike his uttered sentiments at late Mazoka’s funeral and burial which has really damaged UPND up to now.
Why did it take long to appoint him? This is just in reaction to GBM joining UPND. PF are scared of losing in 2016. It means GBM joining to UPND has made PF having sleepless nights. Before it was Kapita touted for the position but now that GBM joined UPND, things have changed. Let us see what Shamunene can do but he is a light weight in politics. He might not add value in PF.
Yes our humble president can do as he pleases
Power given should not be abused. What is humane is for a President to be courteous enough towards his fellow politicians. Where is this guy’s so-called humbleness? What we see is only arrogance. You don’t do some things just because you can.
Whatever President Lungu was on when he was making this statement is good. In fact generally the stuff he has been on in recent times is really really good. Bena Eddie these things are for sharing you know.
There they go again, bewitched Zambians: you call this inclusiveness; when he could not nominate anyone from SP, WP or NWP for the purpose of that inclusiveness! This is diguised distablisation to the opposition, at its best. There were 8 positions available for nomination as MPs and later Ministers, but Lungu saw none of the party members in these areas worth of nomination to achieve genuine inclusiveness, and now, when he decides to stabilise the opposition by appointing MPs from SP, WP and NWP, he is hailed for inclusiveness! Or does it mean; that is all there is in SP – serviving MPs, and the rest are not worthy of appoinment to Ministrial positions? Utter rubbish!
2016 some MPs will not bounce back to parley.
I think 2016 elections will be an interesting one. Are all these MPs that are serving under the ruling party from the opposition going to go back to their party and seek re-nomination or are they going to officially defect to the ruling party?
Amos its a known fact that Richwel is only hanging on to UPND by a court injunction. The question is does ECL Know the outcome of the this pending injunction.
Wait until he chops your wife that’s when you will understand why people say the Presidency shouldn’t have too much power. (We have a precedence)
Its not something a democracy should be proud of.
Nonsense, Guys you are not in a coalition government to appoint anyone from the opposition. The only reason Mwanawasa did it because he wanted to please sections of the cardres.
OMG!!! what a country no electriciyt, no opposition, no money in the pocket only in Chagwa’s pocket and Kaizer Zulu.
What a shame.
Siamunene is an Mp for Upnd and it is upnd that brought siamunene to parliament where EL has appointed him minister;surely there must have courtesy shown to HH as leader of upnd. Am sure Lungu consulted Nevers Mumba before appointing Vicent Mwale and Dr Kaingu.
No he doesn’t Amos but he does have a moral and constitutional duty to act in the best interests of the nation please demonstrate that this duty has been ably discharged in this instance
Joxer and Najudah – Yes, you are correct to state that there must be courtesy and morality and that ECL should have consulted HH. However, HH does not respect or seem to recognize ECL as President. He has complicated the spirit of respect and, unlike HH, ECL has the duty and responsibility to run and build Zambia right now – with or without HH. That is the issue.
Ba Amose Chanda, grow up man ,you will be like chellar very soon, i dont expect who has been brought up in lulamba in chigola to sink so low, you should know that that constitution was drafted by very dull people who where short sighted and did not foresee theb problem in the near future, there is no morality in appointing the opposition into cabinet, to chief chikanta and ala those who say this is good will the appointment od this crook bring food. clean water, reduce power cuts , cost of fuel, dollar etc, its only this boy siamunene who is going to benefit at the expense of the majority poor zambians. there are so many pf members in the province who lungu could have appointed
Amos you are right. However, not everything legal is right. Even Kim Jong Un uses his constitution to execute his own people. Rather, it is the moral conscience on the President’s part that behooves him as a matter of courtesy to check in with leaders of political parties before formally making the appointments. He does not need their consent per se but it would demonstrate not only magnanimity on his part but also good intentions…my two Ngwee…
KBM August 13, 2015 at 8:31 am.,
As I quote you:
“There they go again, bewitched Zambians: you call this inclusiveness; when he could not nominate anyone from SP, WP or NWP for the purpose of that inclusiveness! This is diguised distablisation to the opposition, at its best.” You see?…we Zambian voters are bewitched for the BEST. Nothing less than that.
You never respected Sata…BUT Zambian voters respected him & voted for PF. Sata respected Lawyers so mush that he never wanted any other profession to succeed him, thus the appointment of ECL. Sata always wanted the best for Zambia & no wonder he was quick to call his ministers “dull”. Zambians WANT THE BEST FOR ZAMBIA.
Thanxx just like Mushota…my sister uli uli?
Siamunene was expelled from UPND centuries ago, i just pray the judge will be as overzealous as matibini the speaker, only problem the slow court process is keeping him in Parliament, please judges get over with it, so that we spend that eurobond on another by election.
we just hope the the PF takes care of the young men politically by adopting them in 2016.Truthfully speaking some were virtually unknown and people only voted UPND.I remember Kafwaya crying when Nalumango brought Lumba to replace him on nomination day. In all fairness he does not match mulusa and wouldnt even have beaten him.Since mulusa is coming as PF candidate for solwezi central,we will wait and see if ECL will find him a constituency.
Siamunene knows only adoption by PF in 2016 will give him another chance of being in government and Lungu knows should there be resistance to Siamunene in PF ranks, Siamunene would have been remunerated well for other avenues. As others who see the appointment morally wrong in the same vein I see nothing praise worthy its a far cry trying to justify it with inclusiveness and the One Zambia One Nation tepid slogan.
Congratulations Siamunene. You are on a very big test. Thank UPND, GBM for your appointment. It is commonsense for all to see.
In my view I do not need a part but nay Zambian who can serve better
Best regards