Maravi

Fr Chibuye urges Sata to abolish position of DC

Fr Chibuye urges Sata to abolish position of DC
By Ernest Chanda
Fri 27 Jan. 2012, 14:01 CAT

A Mpika clergyman has called on President Michael Sata to abolish the position of district commissioner since cadres are still being appointed to such positions. Mpika Catholic diocese director of Caritas Father Patrick Chibuye said it was disappointing that the Patriotic Front government had gone back to the MMD era of appointing cadres as DCs.

"From the onset of the PF government, many Zambians advocated for DCs to ascend from the civil service. This was in order to enhance good governance and lessen partisan interference in the running of the government. This was partially done by the PF government. It meant that the government would curb abuse of resources like it used to happen in the MMD government," Fr Chibuye said in an interview on Wednesday.

"Surprisingly, the trend has been reversed and we have gone back to the MMD days; cadres have started ascending to the position of DC. What should we expect if not interference of the party in the operations of the government! I think the President should scrap off this position. Some of the DCs who have recently been appointed in some districts have no qualifications at all. Mpika is no exception because we have seen a cadre being appointed DC. I wonder what criterion is being used in these appointments."

Fr Chibuye urged President Sata to reflect on the issue and address it before things got worse.

He said the PF's promise to depoliticise the position should have been fulfilled.

Fr Chibuye observed that it was too early for the PF government to go against its word on the appointment of DCs.

"If the cadre appointed is a qualified person, I've no problem. But I think we are compromising the operations of government when we appoint unqualified people. The PF government has started compromising its principles on good governance, as evidenced by the u-turn on DCs' appointments," said Fr Chibuye.

"I also sense some danger that government wants to please its cadres by giving them civil service positions. I strongly supported PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba when he said that the party should be separated from government. Let the PF learn from the MMD on how it lost popularity by intertwining the party and government to the extent of failure to distinguish between party activities and those of government."

He warned that should the PF government continue with the same attitude it risked losing the fight against corruption.

Labels: DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS, MICHAEL SATA, PATRICK CHIBUYE

posted by MrK @ 6:38 PM