Information and Media Minister Chushi Kasanda was on Thursday summoned to State House and accused of leaking information over some Cabinet Ministers planning to resign.
On Wednesday, Lusaka Times exclusively revealed that several Cabinet Ministers are unhappy with President Hichilema’s style of running government affairs and were planning to quit.
The Ministers who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that President Hichilema is micromanaging all aspects of government including appointments to parastatal boards and foreign service even for junior roles such as Press Attaché.
The exposé infuriated State House prompting an investigation on who could have leaked the information.
The investigation narrowed down to Ms. Kasanda as the female Minister who was referred to in the article.
Ms. Kasanda was then summoned by President Hakainde Hichilema Principal Private Secretary Bradford Machila who expressed displeasure over the story.
Mr. Machila directed that Ms. Kasanda exculpates herself over the allegations that she is the Minister who leaked the story.
He also directed her to issue a statement refuting the story.
Highly placed sources within State House revealed that Ms. Kasanda arrived at State House on Thursday around 11:00 Hours and went to meet Mr. Machila in his office for over an hour.
The source have since challenged Mr. Machila to deny if he did not meet Ms. Kasanda on Thursday and publicly deny directing her to exculpate herself and refute the story.
“The story caused a lot of anxiety within here (State House) leading to Brad(Bradford Machila) summoning Chushi (Ms. Kasanda). They believe she is the one who spoke to Lusaka Times and she was really told off. Brad asked her to exculpate herself and told her to issue a statement refuting the story,” the source said.
“What made them believe it was Chushi is because of the link to her gender and the fact that the Ministers who complained mentioned the issue of Press Attaché especially that she has confronted Boss (President Hichilema) over those appointments, so it was easier for Brad to conclude that it was Chushi when Infact Cabinet has four female Ministers and most of them are not happy serving there,” the source added.
On Friday, Ms. Kasanda at a press briefing refuted the story that several Ministers are unhappy with President Hichilema and are planning to resign.
She stated that Cabinet is united and that there is noting wrong with a leader micromanaging affairs as long as results are showing.- Lusaka Times
