ZNUT URGES PRESIDENT HICHILEMA TO CRISS-CROSS MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS

The Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) has called upon President Hakainde Hichilema to adopt a cross-regional approach to cabinet and ministerial appointments. Speaking in Lusaka, ZNUT General Secretary Muvwanjilanji Siwila expressed optimism regarding the continuity of leadership within the Ministry of Education following recent political developments. However, he emphasized that deliberately rotating cabinet ministers and provincial leadership across different geographic regions could serve as a powerful tool for cementing national cohesion and bridging tribal divides. Drawing parallels to Zambia's political history, Mr. Siwila suggested that the administration look back to the governance model championed by the late Dr. Kenneth Kaunda under the United National Independence Party (UNIP). During that era, leaders elected in one part of the country were frequently deployed to serve communities in entirely different provinces. According to the union leader, assigning a Member of Parliament elected in Solwezi to a portfolio in Luapula, or shifting leaders between the Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern provinces, actively dismantles regionalism and reinforces the foundational motto of 'One Zambia, One Nation'. Mr. Siwila argued that confining political representatives and regional ministers strictly to their home territories risks trapping governance within narrow ethnic or regional segments. By shuffling leadership responsibilities nationwide, the executive branch can project an image of inclusivity, ensuring that every citizen feels represented by government functionaries regardless of geographic boundaries. The union stressed that building enduring national unity must remain a top priority as the executive constitutes its new administration for the term ahead. Beyond structural appointments, the teachers' union seized the moment to spotlight pressing welfare concerns that require urgent fiscal intervention. Mr. Siwila asserted that the forthcoming 202