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Caroline Sokoni meets with officials, technocrats and civil servants
As part of her working visit to Muchinga Province, the Public Protector Mrs. Caroline Sokoni held various engagements with the Provincial and District leadership in Chinsali.
The Public Protector met among others the Provincial Permanent Secretary, Mr. Henry Mukungule, and Her Worship, the Mayor of Chinsali, Mrs. Lucy Mukuka.
During her meeting with the Permanent Secretary at the Provincial Administration on 8 January 2023, Mrs. Sokoni said it was important for her to meet with officials, technocrats and civil servants at all levels to familiarise herself with the challenges affecting public administration and service delivery.
The Public Protector noted that this will help enhance her understanding of how government policies, programmes and projects are being implemented on the ground in order to prevent and take necessary and effective measures for the prevention of maladministration in State Institutions.
She urged the Provincial Administration to devise strategies of promoting and marketing the province to harness its potential in the tourism, agriculture and other sectors.
Mrs. Sokoni, said the Muchinga Province was a sleeping giant which needs to be extensively explored in order for its endowed natural resources to benefit the local communities.
She informed the Permanent Secretary that in accordance with article 243 (3) of the Republican Constitution, the Office of the Public Protector has made headways to decentralize the institution to provinces and so far in the year 2023, the Office managed to decentralize to five provinces, namely; Luapula, Southern, Copperbelt, Eastern and North Western Provinces.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary called upon the Public Protector to enhance its visibility and accessibility in the province in order to enable the people benefit from the services of the institution.
And speaking when she conferred with the the Mayor of Chinsali, Mrs. Lucy Mukuka, the Public Protector hinted that her Office has enhanced its watchdog role to monitor and evaluate administrative activities and standards in State institutions in order to best advise government on good administrative practices.
During the same meeting, the Mayor of Chinsali appealed to the Public Protector to partner with other public institutions like local authorities to facilitate capacity building in the handling of complaints arising from maladministration.
Source: The Public Protector of Zambia
