Central Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kabwe says those who are criticising him for donating President Lungu branded exercise books are wasting their time because he is doing his job well.

And Kabwe says he cannot state whether or not he would allow any other political party to donate books branded with their leaders’ portrait because that is an issue beyond him.

Meanwhile Kabwe said Zambians should support the new finance minister and allow her to deliver to the expectations of Zambians and the appointing authority.

His reaction comes in following numerous critics by some sectors of society who are questioning whether or not Kabwe is a civil servant for allowing President Lungu branded books in schools before the campaign period.

“For me to help the vulnerable I am not a civil servant? Do grade ones, two, three of five vote? Ask them those questions those who are criticizing me. For me to help the vulnerable people, it becomes political, Do we have any elections now? People can’t afford to buy exercise books, giving them exercise books becomes an issue, it becomes an offence in this country? Helping the poor is a problem in this country? Surely where are the values of us as Zambians?” asked Kabwe.

“I know that all of us are born to serve and who do we serve? To serve animals? To serve dogs? We were born to serve human beings. And when we are rendering a helping hand to vulnerable people, that is our assignment to serve mankind. And surely anything that we are going to do to serve mankind, we will do it regardless of those people who want to criticise us. Let them criticise, we don’t mind. I don’t mind and I don’t think His Excellency the president minds about the criticise as long as we are doing the correct things. Those who are questioning if I am a civil servant or I am a politician, let them judge whatever they want. As far as I am concerned, I am the head of civil service in Central Province and I am doing my job very well in the best interest of the appointing authority and the people I am serving.”

He said the books were given to vulnerable pupils whose parents could not afford to buy.

“They don’t know what those books meant to people who can’t afford. I visited a school in Shibuyunji where I found [that pupils] had no paper, they had no books to write on, they were writing on the desks. Some were writing on the floor and I had to ask them ‘what is the challenge?’ their parents can’t afford book and when I take books it becomes political?” he asked.

“They can’t tell us what to give and what not to give. For God’s sake, whether they like it or not, President Lungu is a president of this country. His portrait is all over in both government departments and private institutions, that is by the constitution, given by ourselves to govern us. The supreme law of this country is the constitution. So whether they like it or not, he is the president up to 2021. So if there is no president there is no government.”

And asked if he would allow any other political party to donate branded books, Kabwe said the question was beyond him.

“My sister, ask me the procedures of civil service I will tell you. I don’t stand on the political platform and say that. Me I am policy implementer. I implement the policies of the government. So those I can’t answer. Those are beyond me. Tell me how I am implementing the policies of government in central province,” said Kabwe.