Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema warned ministers not to zing during the meeting, due to their lack of “indulgent” attention and lack of self-control.
“There are people in the cabinet to sleep in 10 hours – the question is where are they…if you can start getting stuck there? To me, it’s a crime, a slurry crime.”
He did not articulate what exactly “indulgence” means, but local media interpreted it as referring to excessive drinking and late-night gatherings.
The president warned that such behavior risked exposing state secrets and delaying the delivery of services to the public.
Hichilema won a landslide victory in 2021, with ambitious plans turning around the economy of Africa’s second-largest copper producer.
Since his tenure, he has fired several senior officials, including ministers, on performance issues.
On Monday, welcoming the newly appointed local government minister, Sialubalo, the president said he now said in private “over and over” that his concerns about cabinet members have been made public.
He did not name anyone, he said some ministers “developed a trick”, especially revealing confidential status information on happy hours.
The president added: “I have suggested that the Cabinet we have to have a self-verification. When you are in public office, you have to…self-control and not over-indulge.”
He quoted the Bible and warned that such behavior could lead to self-destruction.
“So, how do you attend the meeting while you sleep? The message is clear: you are not interested in the Zambians’ deliberations. So why are you sitting there?” he asked.
The president is expected to seek a second term in next year’s election. He may face fierce competition from his predecessor, Edgar Lungu, who had been on the politics but is currently banned from running.
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