SWAPPING PROVINCIAL MINISTERS HAILED

… it will promote national unity

“I want to commend President Lungu on that idea as the reshuffles were fairly done in the interest of all the Zambians regardless of tribe.”

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu’s recent reshuffles and swapping of provincial minis-ters from one province to the other is timely, because it will promote unity in the country, Mbunda Royal Establishment chairperson Dr Biemba Maliti has said.

Dr Maliti noted that there was a growing trend of tribalism in the country that could only be ended by swapping ministers just like what the Head of State has done.

He said working from the same province where most of the Ministers were hailing from was only breeding tribalism, saying only those few people of the same tribe could feel the benefit.

He cited Western province as an example whereby only the Lozis could feel the benefit as opposed to other ethnic groupings.

Dr Maliti charged that good leadership was essential for the development of the country and that such must be drawn from across the country without exception.

“I want to commend President Lungu on that idea as the reshuffles were fairly done in the interest of all the Zambians regardless of tribe,” he said.

He said tribalism was a threat, menace and problem to national unity, adding that President Lungu had played his role by trying to unite the nation, because the country required a formula of unity.

“Those who think that they are in a majority have no right to oppress those they perceive to be a minority, but instead everyone must treat each other fairly,” he said.

He defended the President’s move and that it would ease service delivery countrywide.

President Lungu made cabinet re-shuffles where former Finance Minister Felix Mutati was moved to the Minis-try of Commerce while, Margaret Mwanakatwe replaced him as Finance Minister.

The Head of State also swapped Copperbelt Minister, Bowman Lusambo, with his Lusaka counterpart Japhen Mwakalombe while Western Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu has also been swapped with his NorthWestern Prov-ince counterpart, Richard Kapita.