Human Rights Defender and Alliance for Community Action Executive Director Laura Miti has refused to comment on assertions that she is speaking out on perceived ills in the United Party for National Development – UPND government because she has been left out of the soon to be announced cabinet by President Hakainde Hichilema.
Mitti responded that “ I have no comment and I never comment on such matters”. This was in response to a question that some ruling UPND supporters have accused her of speaking out because of being bitter after realizing that she has been left out of the soon to be announced cabinet.
Miti emphasized that only holders of office that have been officially appointed must be the ones who give information about the affairs of the head of state and not party functionaries.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Miti stated that this stance can be checked if there are some legal backing with qualified lawyers. She however refused to comment on assertions that she was bitter because she has been left out of HH’s cabinet which is expected to be announced soon.
Miti caused a social media stir when she questioned why the ruling UPND Secretary General Batuke Imenda (a Political Party official) was the one to issue a statement that newly inaugurated President Hichilema would not relocate from his private mansion in New Kasama area of Lusaka to Nkwazi house at State House when his is not a government official.
Nkwazi house is and had been the official residence designated for the serving Zambia head of state and President. President Hichilema was also reported to have opted to use a private vehicle after being sworn in, an action that has been reported to have destabilized state security operatives.
She question that “Why would the UPND Secretary General inform the nation where the President will live? Not his role! If the substantive spokespersons are not in place, then let the administration keep quiet about certain matters. There should be a clear separation between party and state. No more anarchy please”.
Imenda has since retracted his statement and clarified that the statement was his own opinion. A scenario that has added for the need and calls for President Hichilema to timely appoint substantive officials to put an end to this “anarchy”.
Miti later on posted on her social media page that “I hope that, one day, our economy will improve so that we don’t have half the country wanting to be Ministers, Ambassadors and Spokespersons in a new government. The stampede for jobs being reported right now is the direct result of government being the main employer and source of business. Gosh, political jobs are even, disturbingly, seen as a source of wealth”.
She further stated that “Anyhow, my hope is that President Hichilema will announce a lean Cabinet – we actually do not need that many Ministers. The reward culture is what kills administrations. It means people who may have contributed long, hard or recognisably to get a President elected, get jobs ahead of people who would better execute the demands of office. That’s not good for the country.
