By JACKSON MAPAPAYI
The UPND in North western province has accused civil servants of working with the opposition in tarnishing the image of the ruling party.
Recently and while in Livingstone, President Hakainde Hichilema threatened to fire any public worker frustrating his government’s efforts.
And the ruling party in the region is equally echoing the same sentiments.
The accusation follows a fracas that occurred at Solwezi College of Education where interviews for the recruitment of police officers are being conducted from. It is alleged that the officers involved in the recruitment process brought their relatives from other regions.
And this has not gone well with the ruling party leadership.
UPND provincial information and publicity secretary Emmanuel Samapimbi told journalists during a press briefing that there are civil servants that are so keen in ensuring that they frustrate government efforts.
He revealed that because of that, the party is in the process of identifying all civil servants that are in the habit of going against the policies of government.
He said the party is aware that there are civil servants whose allegiance is not with the ruling party but the opposition.
“Unfortunately, we are not going to work with such bad seeds who want to bring this government down,” said Mr Samapimbi.
He said the party will not hesitate to recommend for the dismissal and transfer of any civil servants that will be identified.
He also mentioned that the party has reliable information that some civil servants in the agriculture sector are equally frustrating government efforts in the distribution of farming inputs.
He said officers are not giving the correct amount of inputs to beneficiaries not because government has not delivered the inputs.
He accused them of putting the commodity on the black market and selling it at an exorbitant price.
“We know officers who are doing that and we are already recommending for their dismissals from the public service,” he said.
On medicines in health facilities, Mr Samapimbi equally accused health personnel of pilfering medicines from facilities.
He said health personnel have opened drug stores and chemists where they are selling the drugs from.
“And as a party in the region we will not tolerate such bad eggs but instead flash them out,” he said.
