President Edgar Lungu is not renewing the contract for State House Principal Private Secretary Francis Chalabesa and deputy Secretary to the Cabinet Peter Kasanda.

Chalabesa’s contract ends on September 25, 2017 while that of Ambassador Kasanda expires on September 17.

According to News Diggers! findings, President Lungu has since replaced Chalabesa with Dr Simon Miti who was serving as Permanent Secretary Administration at Cabinet Office. Dr Miti has subsequently been elevated to the equivalent position of deputy Secretary to the Cabinet which is at the same level as Presidential assistants.

President Lungu’s Principal Private Secretary was appointed by late president Michael Sata on September 18, 2011. Chalabesa had previously served in the same capacity for a decade under late second Republican president Frederick Chiluba’s reign.

Ambassador Kasanda served as Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary until September 2012 before he was promoted to the position of deputy Secretary to the Cabinet by Sata, a position he holds until September 17, 2017 which is his last day of work.