Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister, Given Lubinda has said the PF government is working towards creating career service diplomats as opposed to political cadres serving as envoys.
He said Government has already started doing this adding that the realignment of missions abroad would continue.
Mr Lubinda also warned civil servants working in Zambia’s missions abroad to desist from all forms of corruption.
Mr Lubinda said the fight against corruption, which the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has intensified, would sweep across all sectors and institutions including missions abroad.
He said the Government was in a hurry to instil honesty and responsibility in Zambians to restore the economic dignity the country had a few decades ago.
The minister was speaking at the Zambian Embassy in Washington yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on Ambassador to the United States (US), Sheila Siwela and embassy staff in Washington DC.
“It is sad that even people in our missions abroad are caught up in corruption. We will fight it now and we will fight it in future because we want to clean up Zambia,” he said.
He said dishonesty among civil servants retarded development and distorted the country’s image at home and abroad.
Mr Lubinda reiterated that the fight against corruption was not targeted at certain individuals but at everyone who was perpetuating the scourge.
“I want to assure you that the fight against corruption is not against any individual. So we are not starting by asking the question ‘who is involved but we are asking where corruption is,” he said.
The minister said those that have engaged in corruption and had decided to hide in foreign countries would be caught by the long arm of the law.
“Those that stay away in foreign countries to avoid facing justice should know that it is temporary. Hiding in the spider holes will not help them,” he said.
Mr Lubinda said President Michael Sata and his cabinet were in a hurry to restore pride among the Zambian people in terms of development.
He urged Zambians working in missions abroad to work extra hard because it was only through hard work and honest that the country would develop.
He challenged civil servants to account themselves every day of their work by asking themselves what they have done for the country.
Mr Lubinda urged them to vigorously market Zambia and attract investors and tourists that would help develop the country.
Foreigners, he said, must be convinced that Zambia was a peaceful country in which enterprises could thrive.
The minister said the peaceful handover of power by former president Rupiah Banda to President Sata after the September 20, 2011 elections was testimony of Zambia’s peaceful nature and co-existence.
Meanwhile, Mr Lubinda said United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will on February 24, this year pay a three day visit which would be followed by the visit of the President of Germany.
“It is our desire to capitalise on our peace, immense resources and good environment to attract high profile personalities and market tourism. Had we messed up on September 20, 2011, this could not happen,” he explained.
And Mr Lubinda has said the PF government was working towards creating career service diplomats as opposed to political cadres serving as envoys.
Earlier, Ms Siwela said Zambia’s relationship with the US has grown following peace and aggressive fight against corruption.
Ms Siwela said the move by the Government to give Zambians a constitution of their choice was also a recipe for improved relations between the two countries.
She said workers at the embassy were committed to marketing Zambia to the US and would work according to the policies of the PF Government.
[ZANIS]
I am very very MMD, but i think lubinda is very fit to be president than his boss. also he is one of the best ministers around in PF government
AFTER SATA THE GREAT, WILL COME LUBINDA. Watch this space !
what about the cadres and relatives you have sent in foreign mission. Dont yap half munthu half mwenye.
You are sick in your head boy
career diplomats like mutubila?
Bollocks! You’ve just sent Frank Mutubila, Chibesakunda, Mpombo and Chansa Kabwela into diplomatic service based on nepotism. Which career diplomats are you referring to?
masauso, the statement you made is uncalled for, that is very racist. surely why do you have to see everything through skin, zambia belongs to zambians regardless of skin color. lubinda is doing very fine, and should be commended for that.
Best words in terms of the foreign service in years.
Nice!
Is Rev Edith Mutale you sent to Switzerland a career diplomat? Please just shut it and enjoy before you annoy people further.Given why did you not allow to be questioned yesterday over your President’s inconsistences.Abroad you speak highly of RB yet at home you mock him and accuse him of printing fake money.Hypocrites
Nepotism is always high in a Bemba led government, am surprised Zambians are even complaining. It was the same in the Kaunda one party state. Why do you think ZCCM was bembas in all top directorships. If you think am telling a lie google ZCCM heads in the 70s, 80s and 90s. The other 71 people groups of Zambia should just stick to the private sector; which is a larger entity now since we are democratic. MWANAWASA was the most democratic president Zambia has ever had; he hired cabinet ministers from the opposition. SATA is a good president but he needs to hire from the geography of Zambia in the next three months.
Masautso please apologize for that obscene statement. We are to civilized to be racist. To finish my above statement, SATA must employ vastly, it is now more than apparent if you are not an easterner or from the north chances are slim to non you shall be hired in this government; am an eagle from the east and this has me upset.
Thats good to hear please go through all applications your HR puts in archives, plenty qualified people there!!!
Very good words from Mr. Lubinda. But my worry is that since they have already appointed party cadres and relatives to diplomatic positions, where are the career diplomats going to be sent?
All governments in Zambia have mentioned this before, but what they practice is different, actually for PF it is even worse, Can they mention five career diplomats out of the people they have just sent to replace those that were fired by Sata. What is the difference between sending Doreen Mukanzo and Chansa Kabwela, what is the difference between sending Mutangelwa as ambassador to Angola and kambinjipanga to Tanzania. Lubinda, stop slaping us on our face by your foolish statements. Just act, we shall know that you mean well. But currently, almost all diplomats sent out by PF are PF sympatherisers and not career diplomats. Zambia has no shortage of career diplomats, NIPA has trained civil servants to be career diplomats but less than 1% of those trained ever get to be appointed.
Lubinda just shut up if you have run out of things to yap about. There is no professionalism in sending PF cadres and blood relatives into the diplomatic service. What is wrong with you? Are high on chamba as usual?
People have been saying this ever since MMD came to power. In practice cadres, family members and people the current govt do not want in Zambia are sent to foreign service. No wonder these missions do nothing for Zambians. It is like a broken record repeating itself.
Lubinda is better off to keep quiet on this issue. We all know who has gone where and the relationship with Serpent Cobra Sata and PF.
On paper, yes, you will have career diplomats but in practice, as long as the shameless, brazen and arrogant tribalist is the appointing authority, that is a farfetched dream.
Yyaaaawn…
Sorry guys,I meant PF career diplomts likeReverand Edith Mutale and Kapinjimpanga.Remember we dont have sharp guys in our Party so we send the very best.Im sorry if Cobra has offended you people.We lack skilled man power in our party.We are K aponyas
Sorry guys,I meant PF diplomats like reverand Mutale and Kapinjimpanga.You should understand that as Pf we dont have intelligent people so bear with us even as we make mistakes.And by the way stop praising me Coz Cobra will get annoyed and collapse with jealousy.Niziii.We are Kaponyas
Yaba ati career diplomats! Ifyo fi pf cadres fi edith! HH will be in power very soon anbd he will send career diplomats.
Mr. Lubinda the same was said about DCs but we have seen PF reverse & eat its vomit by appointing PF cadres as DCs.
Told myself never to register at all…why should it take over two hours for a simple procedure…and they need to stop thinking that not all Zambians visiting the embassies or commissions have issues or problems. Some just want to register and find out the happenings home.
Comments are closed.