Zambian president in major reshuffle
PHOTO | Correspondent Ms Alfredah Kansembe who was sacked as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
What you need to know:
- President Sata, 76, has never held a single press conference since his election to power in September 2011 to either announce changes to his Cabinet or any major government reform.
- Mr Mwansa Kapeya, ex-Information and Broadcasting Services Minister has been taken to the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.
LUSAKA
Zambian President Michael Sata made a huge Cabinet shake up today and fired a deputy minister.
“President Sata has with immediate effect relieved Ms Alfredah Kansembe, of her duties as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Home Affairs,” said President Sata’s spokesperson George Chellah in a statement issued Thursday.
President Sata, 76, has never held a single press conference since his election to power in September 2011 to either announce changes to his Cabinet or any major government reform.
Speculation is rife the deputy minister could have been fired due to her close association with the former wealthy defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba, who local media reports say has plans to form a party if expelled from Mr Sata’s governing party, Patriotic Front.
President Sata in December dared the same minister to resign from his cabinet following speculation she was next “to pull a surprise” move on him after Mr Mwamba.
In his reshuffle, President Sata moved Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Harry Kalaba to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the same capacity, replacing Wylbur Simusa, who has been transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Commerce Minister Emmanuel Chenda has been moved to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing replacing Emerine Kabanshi, who has been transferred to the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health.
Mr Mwansa Kapeya, ex-Information and Broadcasting Services Minister has been taken to the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.
Meanwhile, Zambian authorities today charged 42 youth who were arrested for demanding the release of a draft Constitution, a Police official said.
Local media reported that during the national Youth Day on Wednesday some groups wore T-shirts demanding for a new Constitution.
The youth got arrested and charged with “conduct likely to cause the breach of peace”.
The group has since been released from custody, said Police spokesperson Charity Chanda.
Some of the messages on the T-shirts read” Give us a constitution now”.
A non-governmental organisation, Zambian Voice Executive director Chilufya Tayali was quoted by local media as saying:
“This action casts a serious indication that the Patriotic Front-governing party- wants to criminalise the calls to demand for a new Constitution by the citizens.”
“This is an intimidation of citizens for demanding for their aspirations. These are signs of bad governance which the PF should be avoiding at all cost lest they are judged harshly by Zambians.”
