Friday, March 29, 2024

New Dawn Ministers threaten to quit, accuses HH of undermining them

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Several Ministers working in the New Dawn administration are unhappy with President Hakainde Hichilema’s style of leadership accusing him of undermining them.

The Ministers are now threatening to rise up against President Hichilema and resign from his government if he continues running government as a “One Man Show.”

The Ministers who spoke to Lusaka Times in confidence have challenged President Hichilema to publicly deny the accusations if they are untrue.

They said they have resorted to exposing his poor leadership style as a way of getting him to change but threatened that they will resign enmass if he continues with his style.

They accuse President Hichilema of micromanaging all aspects of his government including all appointments to government and parastatal roles.

They said even in Cabinet Meetings, no one of them is allowed to even oppose President Hichilema’s position on any matter presented to Cabinet.

“On appointments, no Minister has ever made any appointments, the list of how to appoint is brought to us and we just read the names. The list is done by him alone at State House. This is why some Boards are still not done up to now because only one man is doing everything,” one of the female Ministers said.

“This is why regional balancing of this appointments is becoming very difficult because they are coming from one mind,” she added.

Another Minister complained that all the Ministers under President Hichilema are treated like children.

“He doesn’t consult us, even in Cabinet, we just go to rubber stamp his positions. Do you know that he appointed all the Press Attachés? That is how bad things are in this government,” he said.

The Ministers explained that since some of the appointees know that they were appointed by President Hichilema, they have no respect for Ministers.

“Now what is happening is that some parastatal Chiefs know that the appointment letter came from State House, we are failing to direct or instruct them. They can’t follow our orders because somehow they know that they came through State House and therefore they will only listen to the President.”

One Minister recounted how some Board Members recently paid themselves irregular allowances and when they were questioned by the line Ministry, they rushed to State House and pushed that the Minister be sacked.

“They style of leadership has made our work very difficult. We are like robots and it’s very frustrating,” a Minister complained.

The Ministers stated that their working morale is at the lowest.

“This man (President Hichilema) doesn’t know how to work as a team. He doesn’t allow us to get allowances even on our foreign trips. If the host Country or organisation doesn’t cater for your allowances, you will struggle through out your visit because he has instructed controlling officers not to say us any allowances when we travel. How can we work like Children?”

“He doesn’t listen to us. He is very distant from us. The only Minister he is close to is Stanley (Kakubo) but all of us feel like we are serving in a government that doesn’t want us.”

75 COMMENTS

  1. Its the allowances you want. Don’t start creating stories to arm twist your boss. Just say we want allowances. You’re envious of the allowances the Boards in parastatals are getting, but you’re forgetting you’re Public Servants. Just resign. He’ll appoint others who will serve without allowances.

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    • Any work is equal to remuneration not paying allowance to Ministers is going against the ILO objectives. If they have worked and they have to be paid, its government obligation to do so

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    • Every public servant must have an annual appraisal. HH should with a small team, interview potential appointees, whether they are ministers, PS’s, diplomats etc. They should be asked what they intend to do in the job, what developments they will bring. Aftrr 6 months, they are appraised to see what they have done and directed, advised or admonished. After one year, if no progress- FIRED!

  2. BYE BYE AND GOOD RIDDANCE
    YOU WERE EXPECTING TO FILL YOUR POCKETS PRESUMABLY AND THATS NOT HAPPENING NOW

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  3. 1,2,3 Those are not the reasons. They reason is deeper than you are trying to make it. There are under currents going on. One example is the behavior of Mweetwa.

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    • I now understand why Mweetwa wasnot given a full cabinet job he is too jumpy and its his way all no way at all.

  4. At the end of the day its his reputation under the line and the buck stops with him…some of these ministers are not up to the task I dont blame him; when a Zambian says undermine s/he means wants to go about his business without interference especially of getting bribes with impunity. Please close the door on your way out.

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  5. “The Ministers who spoke to Lusaka Times in confidence have challenged President Hichilema to publicly deny the accusations if they are untrue.”
    This statement also doesnt hold water …where can one speak to LT? For all we know its an automatic online publication that simply posts stories from other established media houses and FB posts.

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  6. Deny it or not….it is brewing. Senior party members are very un happy with HH. They strongly feel they are being left out in descision making. HH would rather trust outsiders(Foreigners) and his boys( Antony and the lot). The rest they dont matter.

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  7. I said the and I say it now HH7’s mistake was not to carry out a reshuffle at his last press conference …his ministers have become too complacent and some are just passengers no wonder Mutati is having a field day in such an environment

    • Yeah if I were him I would have dropped two or three ministers to send a message and to appease the voters but he goes on as if everything is smooth when we can all see things are bumpy

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  8. It has happening……. Mweetwa does not believe the so called alliance “partners” like Mutati should even be ministers. According to him they are just chancers and should be kicked out.

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  9. @7 Tarino Orange, as much as I am anti Pungwa I agree with you this story sounds dodgy. LT is a collection of stories from different sources including bloggers.

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    • Yes but that doesn’t stop them from doing their own stories should they want to. There are no licenses for newsgathering in Zambia

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  10. Muzamuziba HH…….
    He is always guided by foreign friends. Not these Garry , Mweetwa, Masebos and the lot etc. These are rubber stamps.

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  11. We know the ministers who are trying to undermine HH. We will flush them out. What did they contribute to the struggle?
    Most of them were just passengers and now they want authority. Authority for what?

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  12. People who fought for the party are being sidelined. Youths have been ignored. What kind of leadership is this?

  13. The new dawn administration is bent on fighting fraudulent conduct by GRZ.

    If you are not disturbed with the recent trip to European Union speeches that left mention of some of our citizens who have suffered inequality in representation by GRZ then you will think things are OK.

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  14. This is definitely a fake story. We know that Lusaka Times is a Bemba PF owned propaganda outlet.
    HH worked with those ministers in opposition for 23 years and they know him well and cant do such a thing….this is PF thinking which is far from reality!!
    In fact if anyone of them wants to go then they should leave like yesterday, there are many people that can be appointed to those roles like Msoni, etc that want to work for the people.
    The real issue I can see is stealing funds through allowances which HH stopped. That bad habit of Ministers collecting allowances when doing the job they are already paid has to stop and has stopped because it’s theft!
    UPND is determined to change the thieving culture that had been normalised by PF. We know that PF is envious of the early successes…

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  15. This is definitely a fake story. We know that Lusaka Times is a Bemba PF owned propaganda outlet.
    HH worked with those ministers in opposition for 23 years and they know him well and cant do such a thing….this is PF thinking which is far from reality!!
    In fact if anyone of them wants to go then they should leave like yesterday, there are many people that can be appointed to those roles like Msoni, etc that want to work for the people.
    The real issue I can see is stealing funds through allowances which HH stopped. That bad habit of Ministers collecting allowances when doing the job they are already paid has to stop and has stopped because it’s theft!
    UPND is determined to change the thieving culture that had been normalised by PF.

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  16. @21 – Here we go; it’s about the Bembas again! Bembas are your boogeyman eh? Chill!

    #plant a tree please.

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  17. Well, Well, well,well – suppose ministers were to behave like PF ministers. Would be like monkeys in a maize field, Zambians have not forgotten how ministers behaved as though were a better cut of Zambian citizens above the rest of us. Those unfamiliar with ‘Complex Management theory’ will be logged off. Apart from some exaggerations of LT in reporting suspected to be fake, in developed countries ministers behave what’s currently obtaining in Zambia. In UK, Europe or America to confirm

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  18. Hahahaha – you think anyone that is grateful to get a job after many years cares much about autonomy? Fake story at best. Citations? None? Oh dear.

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  19. Ministers indeed you have no business trying to control parastatals and their boards…let them work set targets as share holders with the chair of the board and let them work as a business….regarding your allowances when on official duties..ensure you agree on the work program with your boss before you embark on knee jerk trips trying to create a cash cow on seminars and tours…pepe badala ba lombwana that will not sit well…stop trying to get that ka contract for your ntemba by arm twisting the boards….sole chamwali that wont work…but if you feel strongly step down out of principle we have many capable zambians who can fly the flag….

  20. Typical of Bweengwa people, Even Edify Hamukale from Bweengwa was unnecessarily strict on financial matters in Southern Province. This is Bweengwa style. What do you expect?

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  21. LT has always been careful and exhibits some level of responsibility with what is published. If the LT Admins say some ministers reached out to them, I am inclined to believe them. However, the reasonableness of what those ministers are complaining about is another issue.

  22. Lately readers numbers are going down due to low level of quality debates on LT.
    Therefore, the only way to increase number of comments, is to publish fake stories, BECAUSE these are WHAT engage most of the Zambian Bloggers including the educated ones. Really sad !!!
    If you cant recognize this as a fake story, then there is something wrong with you……don’t waste your time.

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  23. Fake LT story aimed at making the people believe there are problems in Cabinet.
    I would have believed the story if HH had appointed many former PF ministers into his cabinet.
    PF ministers were always crooked and loved power.

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  24. This story brings to the fore Bally’s character. The president gets instructions from Seer 1 as his chief adviser. When Seer 1 tells double 7 to stand, or sit he does his bidding. Mwamuziba manje BMW!!!

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  25. Muna Dekhane

    1. In developed nations – Members of Parliament, Ministers, Secretary of Departments, Senators and Congressmen speak openly against their political party and governments in power to the media and their constituents if they don’t agree with policy changes or decisions made by the Prime Minster and The President. And they often resign to protest

  26. 2. Let’s not come to LSK to preach falsehoods and spin matters – but to Educate, Inform & Learn from others. One just needs to watch the House of Parliament which is mostly live on BBC Parliament Channel in the UK. The Congress and Senate debates are often on PBS Channel and some commercial channels in the USA. Prime Minister Boris Johnson just survived leadership confidence to boot him out which was instigated by more than 54 MPs in his own Conservative Party.

  27. 3. My comments above have nothing to do with whether this story is true or false – but stating the narratives & context on the freedom of expression exercised by MP’s, Ministers, Cabinet Members in developed nations and Zambia, there is a huge gap. Often in Africa, if a minister criticises the President or government – you are either castigated, demoted or the cadres will pounce on you to sort you out. This happened in UNIP, MMD, PF and it will soon happen in UPND. It’s a matter of time.

  28. #30 General KANENE

    My brother stop living in defiance. There is a lot of reality in this article, and I have posted this before. UPND ministers don’t have the autonomy to speak freely… I am not looking down on but I do talk a number of Permanent Secretaries and Ministers who are complaining that they are not given the free will to offer the policy and road maps to the people…. There is also a total disconnection from all Ministers / Permanent Secretaries and the Government Spokesperson who everyone is not happy with. Yet she has frequent direct connections with HH’s Community House, but she never delivers info to the people of Zambia…. One would think that by this time she could have given a length TV Interview to tell the people of Zambia on state of affairs… She gets updates from…

  29. Look at all the f00Iish tribal upnd diasporans above who are in denial that their tribal grouping is falling apart. Someone give them some water hahahahaha

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  30. The President is a man of order.
    Also, these people should realise he is charge. I very much believe in the maxim, ” when I am in charge I take charge”.
    My message to them is, “my way or the highway” and “shape up or you will be shipped out”.
    Zambia has a population of over 18 million, I am sure there will be others who could take their place.

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  31. it is very up lifting for a leader to have so much support and when people have put so much confidence in you. but let us look on the other side of the coin, what the minsters are saying the truth.

  32. Pure fiction. Trying to generate interest so that more people can check out LT site because they are losing their advertising revenue. Even big companies like shoprite are no longer advertising when they used to pop up every page.

  33. #35 : @Mutafela Mulife – “There is a lot of reality in this article, and I have posted this before. ”
    It’s either the story is TRUE or FAKE, nothing in between. Yes, I very well re-call this which was your reaction to my comment. I that point, I accepted your comment and logic, which made sense. LT, has build on that comment and taken it to whole different level, to attract more comments …..because that is what the likes of KWAIZA love to comment on. My bro, this is fake. AND if there are any Ministers with ballls between their legs, they can not opt to go to LT. I find it hard to accept the gabbage like:
    “The Ministers who spoke to Lusaka Times in confidence have challenged”
    “This man (President Hichilema) doesn’t know how to work as a team. He doesn’t allow us to get…

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  34. Edify Hamukale is amother Bweengwa extremist who controlled government funds expenditure as if Southern Province was his fathers farm. Too strict. I feel the ministers have a point cz they need allowances . HH is rich and refusing a salary but his ministers are not rich like him

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  35. My take on these cabinets
    1.Kaunda cabinet was very loyal and ready to serve the party and people.. But not very enlightened.. Very few become rich.
    2.chiluba cabinet.. Very clever and smart. They went there to riching themselves. Little or no care for the nation but what they get out it. This the period when most of individuals in Govt or friends of minister become very rich.
    3.Mwanawasa cabinet… Loyal to Mwanawasa more than the nation.. They respect and feared him.. Knowledgeable but afraid to act just quiet.
    4..Rupiah cabinet.. Excellent cabinet, intelligent and smart.. Loyal to the job His cabinet knew the task.. Could have driven the nation in the right direction. Very smart veep. Kunda.. But they buried themselves in work forgot to campaign.
    5..Sata cabinet… Little…

  36. 44# general KANENE

    I hear you and agree . But the truth is that there is frustration that no one is not allowed to speak out freely. HH has this I AM mind set or … Bally Will Fix It … which will kill his leadership….. Remember when Frank Mutubila stood up to ask a question at the HH’s last press conference, one of the question points he raised was: MR PRESIDENT IN THE 52 YEARS OF MY JOURNALISM CAREER, THIS IS FIRST TIME IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO GET ACCESS TO MINISTERS. He asked HH to allow his ministers to be accessible. HH struggled to give Mutubila assurances. He went beating about just waffling. This says a lot about HH and his leadership styles. You don’t need have an Einstein brain.

  37. I hope it’s true. That gives HH the chance to get rid of some non-performing ministers like Simokotwane, Kabuswe, Masebo to name just a few

  38. It doesn’t cost a penny to resign if they are unhappy. Other million capable Zambians are willing to take their place. Let them get out

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  39. Mmmmmm…… HH not allowing his Ministers to get allowances on foreign trips?? I doubt it. That’s a condition of service which no one should abrogate

  40. This a sign that corruption is being fought methodically kikiki…@mwisho you are retarded mentally…a minister has little or no work at all to do than warm the chairs and enjoy the luxury that their officess provide

  41. That’s the beginning of corrupt minds. Just watch him and remain sited on your positions while getting paid because HH knows that the moment you will start taking part in critical matters, you will become corrupt and its too early to start possessing properties suspected to be proceeds of crime. Just chill and watch the lion at work ku chalo na morale

  42. #51 – Mutafela Mulife
    We have the likes of Mutati, Masebo, Kabuswe…..they are visible and present. Would you say, HH is preventing them from expressing themselves?
    You and me know very well how many times in the last 10months, the opposition has accussed and blamed HH for all possible sH!t, and yet the respective Ministers kept silent without responding, and we were wondering what was happening and thought they were BUSY, would you say those ministers have been prevented by HH from reacting to those opposition accusations? Now, supposing that Chushi Kasanda, went to LT, and told this nonsence, would you tend to believe her? Yet we know she is the weakest Minister. IMO, those claiming HH is preventing them, simply dont know how to be a ministers, and are welcome to quit.

  43. Get it from me: this story is very accurate. I spoke to one of the ministers I happen to be quite close to who confirmed it. But he also admitted that most of the guys in the cabinet have no spine to face the man. Apparently, this included my informant himself. Asked why he couldn’t himself lead the troops, he burst out laughing and reminded me that he had a family to feed!

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