The Zambia Elections Information Centre (ZEIC) Council of Elders has said that it is appalled by the conduct of some civil servants who have gone all out into partisan politics and described the action as disgraceful, shameful, unethical, unconstitutional, immoral, illegal and unacceptable.
In a statement released to the media, ZEIC said that such conduct must stop the country cannot have cadres masquerading as civil servants, at public expense, adding that cadres should be cadres, and let civil servants be civil servants.
Below is the full statement
Press statement by the ZEIC Council of Elders
Lusaka, 21 July 2016:
The Zambia Elections Information Centre (ZEIC) Council of Elders is greatly appalled by the conduct of some civil servants who are meddling in partisan politics ahead of the of August 11 general elections.
Through the ZEIC platforms on SMS, social media, email and monitoring platforms, we have received numerous reports of civil servants such as District Commissioners who have gone all out into partisan politics. We have recorded a number of cases where senior government employees have been seen to openly campaign for the ruling party. What is even more saddening is that in some cases, these officials are abusing their positions to trample on the rights of innocent citizens who may not agree with their political stance. In one heart rending example, a District Commissioner in a rural constituency stopped food distribution at a school because the women who were doing that belonged to an opposition party. We have also received reports of District Commissioners imposing cadres to be engaged as voter education officers.
As a Council, we find such conduct by civil servants to be disgraceful, shameful, unethical, unconstitutional, immoral, illegal and unacceptable. It must stop forthwith. We cannot have cadres masquerading as civil servants, at public expense. Let cadres be cadres, and let civil servants be civil servants. Civil servants need to stay out of partisan politics. The role of civil servants is to serve the people, including those who may carry different political views. Civil servants must leave politics to the politicians and must at all times conduct themselves in a manner that shows they respect the people who are their employers.
The role of civil servants is to ensure that government policies are implemented to the expectation of the people. The moment a civil servant becomes an active participant in partisan politics, they compromise their ability to independently and efficiently carry out their duties in a manner that is accountable to the citizens. their allegiance is clearly to the party they are supporting.
We call on all political parties abusing public servants to put an immediate stop to this. The citizens are watching, and at the right time they will hold to account those officials abusing office.
Issued by Fr. Leonard Chiti, Chairperson of the ZEIC Council of Elders
Members of the Council of Elders: Dr Anna Chifungula, Mama Chibesa Kankasa, Mr Simon Zukas
What council of elders, no credibility. Anna Chifungula, how much did you get ad benefits from Auditor General’s office, you are among the thieves, you got millions and millions, you milked the treasury. Father Chiti, what do you know, moving from one thing to another, you abandoned the constitution advocacy midway, now you want to claim elder. Simon Zukas, chiluba’s boys who stole people’s dream for a better country after 1991, sold our country and caused misery to many zambians. You, even produced fake rich people like Hakainde Hichilema, who sold our companies and caused poverty and unemployment. Now you want to launder yourselves in this election. You better shut up. President Lungu has to be retained at all costs, we can’t be changing government like underwear as Guy Scott put…
Bravo to you the fully aware Council of Elders at ZEIC!
Indeed its appalling as “such conduct by civil servants to be disgraceful, shameful, unethical, unconstitutional, immoral, illegal and unacceptable. It must stop forthwith. We cannot have cadres masquerading as civil servants, at public expense” as excuted by Council Elders. This is for cadres like JK & his Dununa Visionless leeches supporting the incompetent blind Lungu’s violent PF bandits.
In 19 days visionless Lungu with his PF minions must democratically & overwhelmingly be voted OUT. Lungu has suffocated the economy mambala.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Ba Chiti, how many civil servants are campaigning for the UPND and you have been silent? Ba Chiti, how many UPND cadres are civil servants and have been sabotaging government programs in order for the government to bee seen as having failed and you have not spoken out? I can hardly wait for August 11th, so that we can stop hearing one sided half truths.
Samson Bwembya or is it Jameson? Wake up early from slumber & report HH to Lungu with his police who only know how to violate human rights they claim to protect.
The ACC are available, go & tell them as per your illusionary assumptions! FTJ was the president involved with privatization of companies under MMD,which Sata founder of PF, Nawakwi (incl.$55m Carlington Maize issue) Shashonga,Katele Kalumba etc were in Govt. HH & many others were just consultants. The FTJ Chiluba led govt was the only entity to make the final decision of liquidating the mines. With the exception of FTJ & Mwanawasa, but only RB, Sata & now visionless Lungu continued to alleging that HH sold the mines when in fact NOT.
Don’t be brainwashed by failed elements in politics like tribalistic PF or else you will…
Thank you council for that observation! VIVA UPND,VIVA HH 2016
….remain gullible & denial. Vote wisely for HH to have best economic growth on 11~8 & wake up early from your slumber!
The Skeleton Key
~206~
These guys are serous…Viva ECL VIVA PF for life…..
Father chiti don’t be bias in favor of the opposition.
A young boy Father Chiti chairing a council of eminent elders? How could that be? Is he an elder himself. Sounds more like an impersonator than a chairperson. The rest of the story linking himsel to the opposition is not worth my comment. UPND can hve all the negative publicity generated by Chiti for all I care.
FATHER CHITI AND HIS ZEIC ARE SPOT ON REGARDING THE CIVIL SERVANTS ACTIVE PARTICIPATION INTO PARTISAN POLITICS, THIS SHOULD NOT BE ENTETAINED. THE ONLY PROBLEM I FIND IN HIS STATEMENT IS THAT HE HAS ONLY MENTION THOSE SIMPATHISING WITH THE PART IN GOVERNMENT.WHAT ABOUT ALOT MORE WHO ARE DOING THE SAME IN FEVER OF THE OPPOSITION?
meant in favour of the opposition.
FATHER CHITI, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN, UPND CADRES BROKE THE ARM OF A FEMALE FDD
CANDIDATE IN NAMWALA AND POLICE DID NOTHING TO APPREHEND THE CADRES? WHY DOYOU WASTE TIME CHAMPOINING THE UPND CAUSE? THIS COUNCIL OF ELDERS, ELDERS IN WHAT? ITS JUST
A UPND MOUTH PIECE. GO BACK TO THE PULPIT, OR COME OUT IN THE OPEN AND JOIN UPND.
WE HAVE FRANK BWALYA IN PF, HE IAS MAN ENOUGH TO DECLARE HIS STAND.