President-Elect Hakainde Hichilema is not legally bound to maintain the same size of cabinet that his predecessor and outgoing President Edgar Lungu had.
A source who asked for their identity to be withheld has disclosed to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that each president has the right to decide the size of cabinet or number of ministers. The previous government had both sector and provincial ministers which was looked at as being a bloated cabinet.
The source explained that the law provides that the President can appoint up to but not more than 30 ministers but the number can also be reduced if the head of state decides to do so, adding that there is no lowest number of ministers that should be appointed as long as the number does not exceed 30.
When asked how many jobs that the law empowers a sitting President to appoint, the source said it is difficult to state the total number of appointments the president is eligible to make, as there is no single law that dictates or limits how many jobs the president can give.
The source said the number of appointments the President can make goes from each piece of legislation as different laws give the head of state the right to designate or appoint people to various positions.
Like all transitions before, there is a scramble for appointments from President Elect Hichilema with some loyalist who have been in the opposition for now about twenty (20) years looking forward to being handed government top jobs ahead of new joiners.
However, HH has a difficult task to satisfy his loyal supporters against some new entrants, some of who were in their rival Patriotic Front – PF and other alliance partners who contributed to the Presidential win announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia – ECZ.
The ruling United Party for National Development – UPND is on record to have campaigned and pledged to cut the size of cabinet and combine some ministries so as to run a more efficient and cost effective government. President elect Hichilema is expected to announce his cabinet from next week Tuesday (24 August 2021) after his inauguration.
