The Case Of Chanda Kasolo

Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo was fired from his position at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services earlier this week. The reason given by State House was that Kasolo had contradicted the President in relation to the latter’s announcement of a cut in the salaries of civil servants.

Following the latest round of tariff hikes on fuel and electricity prices on December 26, President Lungu announced that he, along with “all non unionized public officers including parastatal executives”, would be taking a reduced salary in order to help ameliorate “the impact that the increase would have brought to the masses.”

The directive included a 20 per cent pay cut for those in the highest salary bracket, including President Lungu, a 15 per cent cut for those in the middle bracket, and a 10 per cent cut for those in the lower bracket.

Kasolo then qualified the President’s statement, saying the directive could only be voluntary because civil servants are employed on contracts that cannot be altered.

While Kasolo appears to have accepted his dismissal, others have questioned the soundness of the move. Civil society activist Laura Miti wrote, “Now that Chanda Kasolo has been fired as Information PS for (correctly) saying salary reductions directed by the President would need to be voluntary for contracted government workers, are the salary cuts mandatory or voluntary? Oh the confusion in our heads.”

Meanwhile, political commentator Sishuwa Sishuwa stated on Twitter, “If Chanda Kasolo has been fired for contradicting the President’s directive on pay cuts, why was Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo not dismissed for contradicting the president’s directive on pardoned prisoners? Why should similar offences attract different consequences?”

Kasolo has since been replaced by Amos Malupenga, formerly Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Arts.