By Venus N Msyani
Every single day Zambians are being led to the conclusion that President Hakainde Hichilema is too protective of his ministers to govern the country fairly.
For example, when United Party for National Development (UPND) officials are accused of corruption and they deny, the president easily believes them. Even when there is evidence to prove the allegation.
Few days ago, pictures of Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Honorable Stanley Kakubo visiting a Chinese owned company, Sinoma Cement Plant emerged on social media. The minister is seen leaving with what looks like a briefcase.
The content of a briefcase is unknown. Some think Hon. Kakubo went to Sinoma to receive bribe and are demanding that President Hakainde should fire him.
At a press conference in Lusaka on Monday April 25th , President Hichilema said he is not going to fire Hon. Kakubo. According to President Hakainde, he had a conversation with the minister and was told he visited Sinoma to buy cement and they gave him a calendar and a diary.
For that reason, HH announced that he doesn’t find Kakubo guilty. “Maybe he should not have accepted that,” President Hakainde said in a protective tone.
HH accuses media of trying to twist the story, which makes him sound even more protective.
Those President Hakainde calls clique of thieves denies having stolen from Zambian people. The president doesn’t believe them. Without proper evidence to prove that indeed they stole, some have already lost properties to the government.
This time the Minister of Local Government Gary Nkombo is recorded in a video forcing a woman and her children to drink illicit local brew beer called Kachasu.
Kachasu kills and is clear Hon. Nkombo is very much aware of that. Is head in the video telling the woman “mupaya bana baanzanu naimwe imwani” (you kill your friends children you also drink), which implies that the minister meant to kill.
His action has evoked a call for his dismissal, but it is very possible President Hakainde Hichilema protective nature will save him. He is very protective towards his ministers.
Will wait and see.
Only people with skeletons in their closets are too protective of those they appoint. This is because the appointee holds alot of dirt on them
But guys you want him to say my appointments are useless? It cant happen. Besides he has only been in power for eight months. Time for firing is yet to come.
Fellow bloggers, have you read what Kagame has said about HH in respect of mining taxes that have been waived
Hakainde has been called a criminal because of mineral tax. He has chosen to be kneeling down with a bowl to beg for money from IMF instead of raising money from mining taxes
Very protective and it shows. Firing is not the only option. He can reshuffle them. Gary Nkombo should be moved from Local Government. He clearly has shown that he cannot deal directly with people. Let him be moved to another portfolio.
William No. Reshuffling is not punitive. You still get your no longer deserved salary after you have committed a crime. That is a pat on the back for doing evil stuff. Dropping a minister sends the message to both your cabinet and the general public
Don’t worry, Eagle has an eye on them n it’s just a matter of time.
Eagle One will always give’em enough rope to hung themselves.
It’s embarrassing that he couldn’t allow Kakubo to be investigated. That renders his corruption fight a mockery. If he wants to lockup talkative PF members let him just do it without hiding behind a fake corruption fight.
I gave on this guy a long time ago.
It is collective responsibility. Sometimes it is self-aggrandizement, but time will tell where our president and hs ministers lie.
Do you remember a Tory UK minister who was watching dirt in Parliament? He refused to resign, but apologised that it was done inadvertently. Public outcry made him resign last Saturday.
Our problem in Zambia is that the president is the sheild, sadly.
@henry what has he said? Where?
@11: if I had your email, I would have you sent the link
1. HH is very much aware that his ministers & permanent secretaries have failed him. Herewith are the words that came from HH’s own mouth,
Cont…
HH FEELS LET DOWN – TIMES OF ZAMBIA 10-Feb-2022
“President Hakainde Hichilema says appointment of ministers and permanent secretaries in his ‘New Dawn’ Government has so far not helped to instil professionalism, unity and lack of segregation to their subordinates as expected. President Hichilema said the cadre of staff below ministers and permanent secretaries had not caught up with ‘New Dawn’ administration’s vision of promoting unity, professionalism and inclusiveness.”
2. Governing partly is running experiments. Some work and some don’t. There will be failure and lack of delivery. There is nothing like a perfect government in the world. We expect them to fail on some implementations. But they should not just cover up with lies and blame games. And of course not to over protect his ministers.
Those of you calling for Gary Nkombo to be fired, since when did catching a person brewing illegal Kachasu and making them grink their own poison become a requirement to qualify a Minister of Local Governmnet?
What NONSENSE! Did you go to school?
When PF ministers committed corruption or did something wrong it was said the president sent them and the proof cited was his reluctance to discipline them. People who are honesty and have integrity don’t change the definition of an issue based on who is involved but describe situation consistently regardless of who is involved. Someone who steals in 8 months and someone over 7 years, they are both thieves.
President HH is not protective of his ministers he ia a know it all man. what he belies is what goes. Zambians, this is a different species of a head of state you have. But do not let everyone be like him. This crop of leadership belongs to the yesteryear politics. When you speak the right things and do the wrong things that is what people remember. HH does not understand himself.
The article writer wants people convicted on hearsay and unproven briefcase visuals .That’s not how law enforcement works,you need concrete evidence.