Flashback: Zambian President orders sale of luxury vehicles bought for government officials
By Daily Tab24. Updated: Aug 25, 2023. 3:46 pm.
Today, Daily Tab24 remembers the action taken by the leader of United Party for National Development, who pushed back executive excesses, even though he did, it has not stopped executive excesses within his government. His appointees have rather devised another means to do away with excesses, seeing his government as their government and as such, deserve what they want.
Hakainde Hichilema, the President of Zambia audaciously reacted to the embezzlement within his government. The President who had contested five previous elections before winning the 2021 election that was his sixth time, was working assiduously to implement a change within the government and civil services.
Conscious of the role of the people in getting him elected and saving his life when former President, Edgar Lungu arrested and charged him for treason in 2017. He appeared determined to be pro-people and cut cost of governance in his country. He had previously said the people of Zambia are his priority and he seemed to be walking his talks.
During his opening of a Presidential Delivery Unit leadership workshop in April 27th of this year, 2023, the 1962 born President took a swipe at his ministers and permanent secretaries who were involved in purchase of luxurious cars. He took a rare step by ordering the sales of the purchased vehicles to recoup the money spent on them.
It is worth recalling that an African President took such a bold step, and that shows the insensitive of leaders or governments across the continent when Africans are suffering in their respective countries. Hakainde Hichilema cannot stop embezzlement and corruption within his government because of government dynamics or structures, but it is worth remembering when a President shows concern.
“We agreed that extravagance is not part of us. anyone who has bought a VX in central, local, quasi-government institutions, I would like an instruction that must be followed – to bring out those VXs and sell them into the market” he said four months ago. The speech of the President exposed the difficulty of change implementation within governments in Africa.
It was an order or agreement as exposed then by the President who rebuked his appointees. Government is seen as business in Africa, where people are appointed or elected to make a living or acquire everything they ever wanted in life. The push to change the ideology in Africa has not yielded, despite the personal or lone push of few leaders in Africa.
To date, appointees in Zambia continue to purchase exotic and extravagant cars for their their selves and families, while embezzling government funds without constraint. The purpose of United Party for National Development is to be pro-people and improve the living condition of Zambians, but others have other purposes, which makes the implementation of the purpose difficult.
Hakainde Hichilema is willing to give back to the people who gave him during his time as opposition and in prison, but it would take more than agreements and executive order to implement. There must be a model for the implementation that must be followed diligently.
