No more yapping anyhow, all communication will now pass through me, newly appointed Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Bright Nundwe told district commissioners yesterday.
And says any civil servant who insults President Edgar Lungu by hating provincial minister Bowman Lusambo will be sorted out.
In his first address to Copperbelt mayors, council chairpersons, town clerks and senior civil servants at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium in Ndola, Nundwe said he was not educated and the only degree he had was in politicking.
“The report of accountability on the Copperbelt needs to be checked. It is not pleasant. Now you DCs, you should not issue statements anyhow. Not everything is for the consumption of the public. You need to communicate to the PS. In fact, am the spokesperson of the province, so I need to know what you are giving to the public. We don’t want to see (DCs) people yapping anyhow,” Nundwe said.
“DC you should be consulting with the chiefs. Visit them. Engage the traditional leaders. Don’t make decisions anyhow. Some of us are not educated, our degrees is just politics.”
Nundwe threatened that he could cause by elections for mayors and council chairpersons if they were not doing the right things.
“If you think there are mere threats, even a by-election can be created. Don’t play with the boss. We can even cause a by election. Don’t think that because I am short, the President has sent me here for a purpose, for duty. I don’t fire people, am not a tribalist. Even my driver is from Southern Province!” Nundwe exclaimed.
And Nundwe said anyone who hated Lusambo was insulting President Lungu.
“I want to restructure, remold and rebuild the Copperbelt Province. I don’t want to see any civil servant that will love the PS and hate the minister. That will be an absolute insult of the provincial administration. Anyone who dilutes the efforts of the PS and the minister is insulting President Edgar Lungu,” Nundwe said.
“I don’t want to see any confusion here. Copperbelt is the most sophisticated in the country. There should be no outstanding behavior. I have a clear picture of the Copperbelt. If you think you are too sharp, am sharper than you. These may seem to be mere threats but…I want Copperbelt to be the apex of development.”
He asked civil servants to ease the pressure on President Lungu by working effectively.
“The man (President Lungu) is in very much pressure to run the affairs if the country. So it is up to the councils to do the right thing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lusambo said there was too much social media abuse by civil servants.
“Use of social media in offices. Our people are spending a lot of time chatting and sending messages. If we are not careful, social media will destroy our country. So for me as Copperbelt Minister, I am excited to have you here PS. To the civil servants, don’t disappoint because I have told the PS that we are a united and winning team,” said Lusambo.