‘Not true,’ Govt denies allegations 405 senior public officers placed on holding positions

Government has dispelled rumours that 405 senior officers in the public service have been placed on holding positions in the Public Service Management Division (PSMD).

Acting Secretary to the Cabinet, Siazongo Siakalenga, stated that the allegations were not true, are unfounded and should be treated with the contempt they deserve as no such thing had happened.

Siakalenga in a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday, said the establishment of PSMD had a total of 78 transitory positions which were commonly referred to as holding positions.

He stated that the positions were for purposes of maintaining employees in the payroll as the officers were awaiting redeployment during the process of re-alignment of government structures or on return from tour of duty from Zambia’s missions abroad.

“As such, officers are temporarily placed on these positions as they transit from one government Ministry of institution to another,” Siakalenga added.

He said that during his inauguration, President Hakainde Hichilema made a commitment to reinstate former public employees who were separated on tribal, political and or unfair grounds.

Siakalenga stated some of the reinstated employees were placed on the transitional positions while awaiting redeployment.

“The reinstated employees were attached to various Ministries, Provinces and other government agencies where they are performing various duties and are eligible to receive emoluments through available organisational arrangements,” he stated.

Siakalenga described the allegations that employees that were placed on the transitional positions were from certain regions of the country as false.

He advised concerned members of the public to seek clarification from designated government officers before resorting to issuing alarming and unfounded statements through the press.

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