New Heritage party President Chishala Kateka has weighed in on the debate raging on regarding Ministers’ wife being appointed to top corporate positions in Government entities.
In a post on her Facebook page, Ms. Kateka said that even if their wives of relatives of these Ministers are qualified, Ministers need to think about Zambians first.
This week the appointment of Minister of Green economy and Environment Collins Nzovu’s wife, Shezzipe Banda Nzovu as Head of Procurement at ZESCO has attracted criticism from some sections of the society, with some people calling on President Hakainde Hichilema, who is serious about fighting corruption, tribalism, nepotism, cronyism and favouritism, he should revoke the appointments of his ministers’ wives and relatives.
Ms Kateka wondered why should leaders only leave a trail of looting, which only comes to the attention of the public after they leaders leave office, rather than leaving a trail of achievements.
Below is a full post
EVEN IF YOUR WIFE OR RELATIVE IS QUALIFIED, THINK ABOUT ZAMBIANS FIRST-CHISHALA KATEKA
When will our Ministers be in the news for the right reasons?
In our nation, when a Minister is in the news, it is usually for the wrong reasons.
Just when will our Ministers, current and former, be in the news because they have done what they are supposed to do? Why must our Ministers nearly always be associated with corruption, nepotism or some other (social) scandal?
We are tired. Could our leaders please bear in mind the fact that they have a duty to the Zambian people to serve them to the best of their ability!
A Minister’s role includes but is not limited to the following:
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- directing government policy and making decisions about national issues
- spending a lot of time discussing current national problems and how these can be solved
- presenting proposed laws—from their government departments.
The above should leave very little time for what our leaders are now becoming well known for. Why should leaders only leave a trail of looting…which only comes to the attention of the public after these leaders leave office – rather than leaving a trail of achievements?
In addition to the above Why on earth would the appointing authorities appoint members of the same family to top positions in a country where there are so many people that need jobs?
Even if those family members are qualified, wisdom dictates that you think about perception. What will the man on the street think about such appointments? And what is this appointing of your relatives to Procurement Departments?
All this is very upsetting. When given an opportunity to lead this nation, please think about the Zambian people first!!!
I’m just imagining this had happened in PF. BMW would have been on top of the mountain screaming hystericals.
Mrs Nzovu was employed on merit, no sin here
In the mines it was a policy that a married couple could not work in same department. Everything would be done to place them in different departments or at least different sections. Employment of relatives is ethically dangerous. People should be careful how they run goverment business.
This is what we have always said and believed that Vasco da Gama is just a shadow of himself with no real substance in his character. He will talk and talk all the right things that he does not mean or has no idea about. Vasco is like a parrot that just mimicks but does not know what and how to do it. Behind the scenes Vasco is busy counting his loot ?while praise singers are praising him for parroting words.
Parrots cant count. So the loot will be found by us
I totally agree with Chisala Kateka on this.
1. Any professional needs to declare ” conflict of interest” when it comes to appointments – be it a lawyer, an accountant, A doctor, a manager etc. This is the unwriiten principle worldwide.
2. A spouse can not carry out their duties diligently if there is internal wrangles at home. The spouse will certainly choose the home to save in a conflict.
3. Thereby sensitive positions must be independent .It certainly loses confidence in the system.
Madam CK please push this agenda further until it is rectified. HH surely knows this principle.
The moral of this is that it is about the appearance of it all. This is why I keep saying that Zambia simply needs a generational change, these old folk struggle to see anything wrong because this is what was okay back in the day. I do not think she needs the money for one, and secondly, a minister can easily get his wife a job in the private sector.
She is qualified and of good standing in society. She is not even in the ministers ministry for issues of nepotism to arise. There is also no clause in our constitution which DISCRIMINATES ministers wives from working in parastatals as long as the husband did not influence the cause which is the case in this particular issue. The rains have delayed, we are not sure we will have a good crop, what is the plan B, that is what we should be talking about, not a private citizen’s employment
HH should not be afraid of his ministers. They had no influence at all in his election victory. I have said it before:
1) The youth were fed up with PF( these are the ones who can make him lose)
2) The rest of the people were irritated by the PF cadres ( I see Upnd drifting in that direction)
3) Non Bemba/Ngoni have always wanted one of their own to be president.
These three are the factors that should worry HH not the minister.
Appointment of WAGs… it’s getting wild even before they are deep into their first term mwati! Wanitwa mos!
Is it just wives or all relatives ? Be careful what you say you may shoot yourself in the foot ! Let us do an audit in all Ministries and Government Institutions and find out any relatives of former and current Ministers working for Government and how they were employed. I know of one wife of a former Minister working for Government at top management level.
The ministers wife’s status cannot be “unemployable in Zambia” just because the husband is a minister, let the lady be employed whether in the private or public sector as long as she qualifies for the job and that there was no nepotism in her employment, at this moment there is neither a suggestion nor evidence that the minister was involved in her employment. Let us give her the benefit of doubt as a Zambian who deserves to be employed like anybody else who qualifies for the job.
Parties are supposed to be busy mobilizing, the unemployment situation in Zambia is a big crisis left by previous governments. Instead of focusing on how this crisis can be solved, people in Zambia are discussing one single job at Zesco which was taken by the ministers wife. Can you be serious for once and start focusing on things that matter. Assuming she resigns today, what will you have gained. When there are bigger problems in the country
I am in my farm now planting, whether a ministers wife has been employed in Lusaka or not employed, it is non of my business. Whether she decides to resign today or continue, it does not change anything including the economic fundamentals
The ministers wife should be free to work anywhere in Zambia whether in public or private sector as long as there was no nepotism, but Danny told us in his song many years ago is that the problem with Zambians is that they like concluding very fast. Let the ministers wife work without let or hindrance, she could have been employed correctly
Amazing that much time is being spent on such an issue. Does the Minister of Green Economy superintend ZESCO procurement section?, Are spouses of Ministers supposed not to work?. Do the Ministers get so much that a second income is not necessary for a family. Looks like some people with vested interest in the ZESCO procurement system are worried about what she may see inside. If she is qualified, let her progress on her own career path irrespective of who she is married to.
Chishala Kateka light travel from the object to your eye if you are to see that object. Decisions and appointments being made by UPND are intended to save their businesses. Commit your energy and time to make youths and other voters to be able to see.
If she qualifies, let her be given the job, the regulator ERB in conjunction with the Ministry of labour can independently and without fear or favour investigate on how she was employed, If there was something wrong she should be forced to nresign, but don’t throw assumptions and aspersions on her just because she is the ministers wife. She deserves to be employed in Zambia just like anyother if she qualifies and that the procedure was also followed
A question for those of you posting above who seem to know her and say she’s very qualified. What exactly are her qualifications? Don’t bite me am just asking
I did not expect this to come from Madam Kateka. She is well schooled to fall in the Nakachinda and Bowman’s thinking. There are so many relatives, even wives of former Ministers in Government – unless you want them fired.
Making an issue from nothing. I can imagine what would be said if the wife was even Tonga or Lozi.
When is a list of ghost workers who were employed by ZESCO going to come out? Or was it one of the numerous lies manufactured by UPND
The issue is, there are many Zambians from other families who are qualified or even more qualified for the job. Let them be given an opportunity to serve their fellow Zambians.
Let the cake be shared equally.
#9 Oj Simpson why not mention that minister whose wife is working for goverment.? I understand that the lady in question is not just a Minister’s but also related to the president by marriage.
This is the nepotism people talk about.
Hachilema is a hypocrite. Just like procurement he talks about, employing those we love in this manner is an HR boo boo.
Why does she look like someone is about to powa on her face? You cannot mistake that look if you know you know
EVEN IF YOUR WIFE OR RELATIVE IS QUALIFIED, THINK ABOUT ZAMBIANS FIRST-CHISHALA KATEKA
I call it nepotism…it’s the nature of upnd
Is it not subsequent leaders after exiting KK (MHSRIP) who trashed his “Leadership Code of Conduct?” The lady being the subject here was already an employee of the outfit which does not even fall under the husbands’ jurisdiction. My question is if a couple both are employed and one gets the privilege of being appointed to serve in the governing structures is the argument here that the other must leave employment? I smell malice than reasoning on how best to make everyone understand that everyone “has a right to search for a job and be employed” provide they have the necessary skills for the particular job! Zambians! I cant help but imagine if the lady on spotlight had decided to leave employment and say invested in a mega store if someone would not raise a flag on the husband! Let…
contd…. Let her be for hers is honest job and the husbands’ is at the presidents pleasure for he can be out of job anytime!