Dear Editor,
I write to warn President Lungu and Patriotic Front party at large to be very careful and cautious with Dr Ed Chomba, the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Local Government and Housing.
The Permanent secretary is for me making things for PF going into 2021 elections difficult for the government in power.
The suspension of all union officials at Chingola Municipal Council and Lusaka City Council is denting the image of the Patriotic Front party government.
The council employees at Chingola are now working without a voice as all the branch union officials are on suspension.
The only female union official at Chingola who was spared is the one related to one of the local government commission bosses, case of nepotism.
His action to recommend for the suspension of union branch leaders after a stay in protest called by the union mother board countrywide was unprofessionally done in that the union mother board is the one if need be, that needed to be suspended.
As if that was not enough, why also just suspend the union officials from the two councils only when the sitting in protest was countrywide? Is he settling scores with these two councils or what?
The continued harassment and suppressing of unions at the local government institutions by the PS if not handled properly will make PF lose elections easily.
It should be noted that Local Government is involved in policing every election in this nation and the fear therefore that could come out of frustration by the employees should surely send shivers in the PF spinal cord.
I remember when at Ministry of Water and Sanitation as Permanent Secretary, Dr Ed Chomba also caused the firing of Mulonga Water & Sewerage Company’s Finance Director in Chingola over flimsy issues.
As a Permanent Secretary, Dr Chomba should be schooled that it is not always about firing people but addressing or finding last solutions to issues that have arisen.
This should save as the food for thought as we get closer to 2021. Don’t mishandle local government authorities, you need them.
Namakau-CHINGOLA
