Africa-Press – Zambia. The appointment of Minister of Green economy and Environment Collins Nzovu’s wife Nzovu’s wife, Shezzipe Banda Nzovu as Head of Procurement at ZESCO has attracted criticism from some sections of the society.
According to ZESCO’s internal news publication, dated 17th January 2022, ZESCO’s new Managing Director Victor Mapani unveiled his corporate leadership, which included among others, Mr Nzovu’s Shezzipe Banda.
Although there has been no direct response from the Minister on either his Facebook page or the Facebook page of his Ministry, several only pages are quoting the minister to have responded to the criticism of his wife being appointed as Head of Procurement at ZESCO.
According to the Minister: “The media needs to be responsible and not incite hatred against public servants. The Managing Director and all new directors at Zesco are previously Zesco employees who are highly qualified but were victimised because of alleged belonging to the opposition.
Shesippie Banda Nzovu is a Zambian, highly qualified for the job and with the necessary requisite experience to run the department suffered the same fate. Shesippie Banda Nzovu is not a new person at ZESCO or in this department she has just been reinstated. The cream is back to Zesco and watch the space, Zesco will start performing again
This lady despite her high credentials suffered because of her acquired name, should she continue suffering because of the same name? isnt she a qualified zambian with the necessary experience?” And in a lengthy post on his Facebook page, former Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba questioned the reasoning allegedly advanced by Mr Nzovu.
Mr. Mwamba said that ZESCO or the IDC needed to advertise all these senior positions including that of the Chief Executive Officer, to help attract the best qualified Zambians to one of Africa’s largest utilities.
Mr. Mwamba said that such a decision on ZESCO and many others in the energy sector can begin to place parastatals as drivers to the development of our country.
Mr. Mwamba concluded that, if President Hichilema is serious about fighting corruption, tribalism, nepotism, cronyism and favoritism, he should revoke such appointments and urge all CEO’s to abide by an acceptable developed code of conduct.
Recently, Commerce Minister Chipoka Mulenga’s wife, a qualified Engineer, Likonge Makai Mulenga, was also appointed as Board Chairperson of the Rural Electrification Authority (REA).
Energy Minister Peter Kapala in December last year announced the appointment of a new Board of Directors for REA to be led by Mrs. Likonge Makai who was an Electrical Engineer at KCM
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