President Edgar Lungu has appointed and sworn-in ministers for the newly created four ministries.
The president has sworn in Chingola Central MP, Matthews Nkhuwa, as Minister of Works and Supply, replacing Pambashe MP Ronald Chitotela, who has been transferred to the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Development in the same capacity.
Others are Mpulungu MP, Freedom Sikazwe, who is Minister- Presidential Affairs, Mpika Central MP Sylvia Chalikosa as Minister in the Office of the Vice-President, Matero MP Lloyd Kaziya, as Minister of Water Development Sanitation and Environmental Protection and Reverend Godfridah Nsenduluka Sumaila as Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs.
During the swearing-in-ceremony, President Lungu said that he is concerned with the increasing cases of corruption, which have affected the country and warned the newly sworn-in Ministers not to fall prey to corrupt activities.
The President observed that he was specifically concerned that he had received reports linking some Ministers to corrupt activities.
He said once found wanting, he would not hesitate to relieve them of their duties even before they are investigated by ACC, the Anti-Corruption Commission.
President Lungu noted that corrupt activities were not just being committed at Ministerial level, but even at lower levels of government.
He wondered how some people had amassed property rapidly at the expense of poor Zambians.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has taken a swipe at the ACC for being inept because of their failure to prosecute corruption cases.
President Lungu wondered why the ACC no longer availed reports to the Office of the President as was the case before, when they were so many corrupt activities which were being conducted with impunity.
The President also noted that it was difficult to act against some Constitution Office bearers on matters of corruption, because they were bound by the Constitution.