Katuta demands government publish names and evidence against civil servants facing dismissal

Given Katuta, the former Chiengi Member of Parliament who stood as an independent presidential candidate in the August general election, has demanded that government publish the names of civil servants facing dismissal over alleged support for the opposition, together with their ministries and departments. She also wants the evidence against each person made public. "Show the evidence. How did they work against the government? Where is the proof?" she said. Ms Katuta was reacting to remarks attributed to a senior UPND official that more civil servants seen as working against President Hakainde Hichilema would be removed. The official has not been named, and no list of affected workers has been published. She argued that dismissals without proof are unjust, that due process must be followed, and that "civil servants serve the Republic of Zambia, not a political party". She called for an immediate end to what she described as blanket dismissals, for disciplinary procedures to be used where there is a case to answer, and for the civil service to be kept out of party politics. She linked the warning to the dismissal of all employees of the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA), which she said was the start of a pattern. ZAMMSA is now advertising 23 categories of vacancies, with applications closing on 25 October. She noted that her remarks came soon after the Day of Prayer, Fasting and Reconciliation on 18 October, and asked the government to "choose reconciliation over retribution. Unity over victimisation." She also invoked Presidents Levy Mwanawasa and Michael Sata in her call for forgiveness. The issue has been building for weeks. On 15 September the public workers' union CWAWUZ, through General Secretary Teddy Muyenga, said it was concerned about reports of workers being dismissed for backing opposition candidate Brian Mundubile and said "no civil servant should be intimidated, threatened, victimised". On 7 October, Local Government and Rural Dev