Last Saturday, President Hakainde Hichilema announced the creation of what he calls the Presidential Delivery Unit, herein referred to as PDU, with the mandate of ‘accelerating the implementation of high priority government programs and projects’.
In response to this announcement, the Media Director of the Patriotic Front, Antonio Mourinho Mwanza, has raised concerns about the newly formed PDU, stating that it is “akin to institutionalised corruption and raises more questions than answers.”
Mwanza also noted that the President did not cite any authority he used to appoint the PDU, which goes against the general rule and common practice. He further asked, “who will be financing the PDU? Which budget line will they be using since they are not part and parcel of the established government structure?”
The Media Director also raised concerns about the duplication of roles, as President Hichilema had previously appointed Dr Lawrence MWANAYANDA as his Special Assistant for Project Implementation and Monitoring, whose mandate is akin to, if not exactly the same as, that of the newly formed PDU. He questioned whether this was “the same bloating of government and wastage of taxpayers’ money that President SAMMY vehemently opposed when he was in opposition?”
Mwanza also drew attention to the constitutional implications of the PDU, stating that “the Constitution of Zambia in Article 114 gives Cabinet the sole authority to cause or ensure the implementation of all government programs and policies.” He questioned whether the PDU had taken over the powers of Cabinet and what role Cabinet and line ministries would play now that the role to implement government programs and policies had been given to Chipokota and Kamwambi.
Furthermore, the Media Director asked, “what criteria will Chipo and her friend Kamwambi be using to identify which programs, policies and projects are a priority and what will qualify a project to be priority?” He also questioned the reporting structure of the PDU, given that Ms. Kamwambi is a Permanent Secretary and reports to the Secretary to Cabinet, but has been assigned to State House and the President.
In addition, Mwanza raised concerns about accountability, given the far-reaching powers and political influence that Chipo and Kamwambi have been given, stating that it would be difficult for watchdog institutions and ordinary Zambians to hold them to account when they will be working under the powerful cover of State House and the President himself.
Mwanza called for the dissolution of the PDU, stating that it would create “some obscure untouchable ‘cartels’ that will be above the reproach of any authority other than State House and the President.” Instead, he urged the government to give “full mandate and authority to oversee the implementation of government programs, policies, and projects” to the duly established departments and units of government.