Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has warned ministers against dozing off during meetings, attributing their lack of attentiveness to “indulgence” and an absence of self-control.
“In cabinet somebody’s sleeping at 10 hours – the question is where were they… if you can start conking there? To me that is a crime, a serous crime,” Hichilema said during a swearing-in ceremony for a new minister.
He did not spell out what exactly he meant by “indulgence” but local media have interpreted this as referring to excessive alcohol drinking and late-night partying.
The president warned that such behaviour risked exposing state secrets and delayed service delivery to the public.
Hichilema won a landslide victory in 2021 with ambitious plans to turn around the economy of Africa’s second largest copper producer.
Since assuming office, he has sacked several senior officials including ministers over performance issues.
Speaking on Monday as he welcomed newly appointed Local Government Minister Gift Sialubalo, the president said he has now gone public with his concerns about cabinet members after saying it in private “over and over”.
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