Bootlickers have paralysed public delivery – Sangwa
By Tony Nkhoma
CONSTITUTIONAL lawyer John Sangwa says people are suffering because public offices are filled through loyalty instead of competence.
Sangwa, who is the founder of the Movement for National Renewal (MNR), said the trend led to the collapse of service delivery while pushing people into deeper and continuous poverty.
He said that led to consistent suffering.
Addressing the nation on his podcast, Sangwa, a State Counsel, said the action called for the enforcement of existing laws that ensured regional balancing in public appointments.
“Every province deserves equal opportunity. Without this, governance becomes uneven, and whole regions feel excluded from national progress. Article 259 ensures inclusivity and regional balance in public appointments. Under Article 216, enforcing a code of conduct for constitutional office holders,” he said.
“And finally, Articles 263 to 267, providing for the code of ethics and annual declaration for public officers. These provisions, if implemented faithfully, will transform Zambia into a fairer, more transparent and more accountable republic without the need for constitutional amendments.”
Sangwa said the country had to enforce a code of conduct for constitutional office holders because ethical leadership was not optional but the foundation for public trust and stability.
He said provinces that generated billions in mineral wealth should not remain in rural and poor conditions as the case was at the moment.
“When the people who power the economy live without proper roads, hospitals, schools, or jobs, the system is fundamentally unjust. True development must reflect the contribution each province makes,” Sangwa said.
He called for strengthened judicial independence and access to justice for all.
Sangwa said citizens could not trust the justice system if appointments were made without transparency while courts remained underfunded.
He said there was a need to enforce integrity, merit, and non-partisanship in the public service.
And Sangwa says that Zambia does not need to amend the Constitution but implement what is already written.
He said the Constitution required consensus.
“The Constitution still awaits full implementation in several areas, including 1. Article 60 of the Constitution by providing legislation to regulate political parties and campaign financing to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness. Article 118 guaranteeing access to justice and judicial independence through transparent appointments and adequate funding of the judiciary. 3. Under Article 173, enforcing integrity, merit and non-partisanship in public service,” Sangwa said.
