Mwamba Warned Against Undermining Govt
By Staff Reporter
Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba has been warned against undermining government.
Mwamba at the weekend issued a statement to the effect that President Edgar Lungu had authorised evacuation of Roan PF Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili who was hospitalised at Care For Business Hospital for specialist medical attention in South Africa.
Foreign affairs permanent secretary in-charge of administration Dr. Ronald Simwinga warned that the statement by Mwamba had potential to undermine the standing of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that of the Zambian government.
“Such statements should be issued by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting who is also the Government Spokesperson,” Simwinga stated. “Mr Mwamba as well as other Heads of Missions abroad have been cautioned against discussing policy matters in the media”.
He therefore cautioned Mwamba against issuing statement without authorisation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lusaka.
However, Kambwili turned it down and told President Lungu to evacuate Zambians who had for many years been on the waiting list for specialist treatment abroad.
Afterwards, chief government spokesperson Dora Siliya issued a statement saying the government had not yet concluded negotiations with Kambwili family for possible evacuation.
