Maravi

Shamenda bemoans political interference in parastatals

Shamenda bemoans political interference in parastatals
By Ernest Chanda
Wed 03 Feb. 2010, 04:01 CAT

FORMER Zambia Congress of Trade Unions president Fackson Shamenda has bemoaned growing political interference from the government in the running of parastatal companies.

In an interview yesterday, Shamenda said the trend was making parastatals operate unprofessionally and inefficiently. He said he looked forward to a day when such habits from successive governments would stop.

“There is very serious political interference in the running of parastatals in this country. I know that this has not started now, because even Kaunda abused UBZ United Bus Company of Zambia and other parastatals during his time. Chiluba also did the same with some parastatals, even as he himself said at one time that 'if you are not politically correct when you are in a parastatal things won't go well for you'.

This is a confirmation of political interference from those in power,” Shamenda said.

“Parastatal companies should be left to run like commercial enterprises. There should also be no unprofessional interference where you appoint ill-qualified managers, board members and directors. We should have a professional approach in the way we run our parastatals so that they can compete effectively with other enterprises.”

Shamenda observed that such interference usually brings insecurity in those appointed to specific positions.

“You see, it's just like permanent secretaries who we are now making insecure in their jobs. Initially a PS should operate professionally, knowing too well that no one will harass them. But now we have permanent secretaries who can't operate independently because they don't know how long they will last. Equally, directors and other senior people in our parastatals should be given a sense of security in their jobs.

If a director knows that he can be fired any time, how can he advise government professionally? There is a fear that if he advises professionally, in the next minute, he won't have his job. My appeal is that let us allow these people to mature in their positions so that they can perform professionally,” he said.

Shamenda suggested changing laws governing the appointment of parastatal managers in order to give them security of tenure.

“When we chased UNIP in 1991, we just removed the One Party State, but we left the same laws that made government interfere with parastatals. I remember telling then president Levy Mwanawasa, may his soul rest in peace, that 'yes Mr President, it's good that you are fighting corruption.

But remember that if you don't change the laws that support corruption, corrupt people will start stealing if they come into power tomorrow'. So the best is to deal with the laws that support abuse of parastatals and close the gaps,” said Shamenda.

Labels: FACKSON SHAMENDA, PARASTATALS

posted by MrK @ 7:16 PM