‘Politics not for civil servants’

CIVIL servants should keep away from politics and it is wrong for any minister to suggest that teachers can be councillors, says Mfinshe Ward councillor of Malole constituency in Northern Province, Mr. Anthony Mubanga.

Mr. Mubanga said councillors were politicians and as such a teacher or any other civil servant was not supposed to be a councillor.

“If they do so, then they must resign from the civil service or risk being fired,” he said

He was reacting to a statement issued by Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale in Parliament recently in which he said teachers were free to become councillors.

“How can Mr. Vincent Mwale suggest that even teachers can be councillors,” Mr Mubanga questioned. Mr. Mubanga told the Daily Nation in an interview that, the minister should clarify his statement in line with the constitution or retract it.

“This suggestion is too vague and leaves questions as to whether it is healthy for civil servants to enter into active politics,

"The message to civil servants in this regard has been loud and clear. They must not be political otherwise their function will be compromised,” he said

He said civil servants were public workers who should not align themselves with any political party.

“Theirs is to support the government of the day. It makes sad reading to hear this insinuation coming from a cabinet minister,” he said

Mr. Mubanga appealed to ministers to weigh their statements before they issued them.