By: Ollus Ndomu
Mushrooming opposition political parties expressed disappointment in the new United Party for National Development -UPND- government for failure to appoint a lean cabinet.
In his campaign promises, Republican President Hakainde Hichilema pledged to downsize his cabinet to 18 ministers but has currently appointed 25 ministers.
Former ruling Patriotic Front Vice President Given Lubinda said Thursday, that it was unfortunate that the UPND government had strayed from its campaign promise of forming a lean government.
In the same vein, Socialist Party Vice President Dr Cosmas Musumali expressed that having a big cabinet meant a drawback to the development of the country adding that the country was already struggling to pay its civil servants.
According to Dr Musumali, 10 cabinet ministers would have been more beneficial at a time when Zambia is grappling with a huge public debt burden.
President Hichilema continues to gather criticism even after setting a 25-cabinet from the former government’s 31-man government.
