The Editor Zambia
The warning issued by Tonse- Pamodzi Alliance president Brian Mundubile to civil servants at a campaign rally in Matero has raised serious questions about the opposition alliance’s attitude towards Zambia’s public service and the role of civil servants in a democratic society.
Mundubile, while addressing supporters at the Matero rally in Lusaka yesterday, warned public workers against participating in alleged electoral malpractice, telling them to protect their careers and families by refusing unlawful instructions. 
However, the message quickly took a more disturbing turn when several speakers who followed him started warning that civil servants would face punishment if Tonse- Pamodzi Alliance formed government.
The statements have left many citizens asking a fundamental question: What exactly have civil servants done to deserve threats of collective punishment and possible witch-hunting?
Civil servants are not political opponents but professionals employed by the State to provide services to citizens regardless of which political party is in power.
Their duty is to serve the Constitution, implement government policy, and ensure continuity in public administration.
They are teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, agricultural officers, police officers, administrators, and many others who keep the country functioning every day.
The suggestion that civil servants should be targeted, investigated, or punished simply because of their employment status raises troubling concerns about the principles of democracy and good governance.
Zambia’s history is filled with examples of public servants who have served under different administrations without losing their professional identity.
Governments change, but the civil service remains a permanent institution of the State. Any political party aspiring to govern should therefore be reassuring public workers that their rights and careers will be protected, not creating fear and uncertainty.
The Matero remarks have also revived memories of periods under the Patriotic Front (PF) itself in which Mundubile served when public institutions became politicised, with workers facing discrimination based on perceived political affiliation.
Such practices weaken institutions and create a culture where public servants focus more on political survival than on delivering quality services to citizens.
If Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance, which has morphed into what it is from the PF, believes certain individuals have committed crimes, the proper approach in a democracy is clear: provide evidence and allow the law to take its course.
There can be no justification for collective punishment against thousands of hardworking Zambians simply because they work for government.
A government is not a vehicle for revenge but an institution responsible for protecting all citizens, including those who did not vote for it.
The opposition alliance must also explain what it means when its supporters talk about going “door to door” to punish civil servants.
Is this a commitment to investigate genuine wrongdoing through lawful institutions, or is it a threat of political victimisation against ordinary workers?
The distinction matters.
Civil servants already face enormous challenges. Many work in difficult conditions, particularly in rural areas, where teachers, health workers, and agricultural officers provide essential services with limited resources.
The last thing they need is the fear that a change of government could turn them into targets.
Political parties should compete based on ideas, policies and solutions to national challenges and should also explain how they will improve the economy, create jobs, strengthen healthcare and education, and improve the lives of ordinary Zambians.
Campaigns should not be built around threats against sections of society.
At the centre of this debate is a simple issue: civil servants are citizens first. They have families, aspirations, and constitutional rights. They deserve accountability where wrongdoing occurs, but they do not deserve to be treated as enemies because of the jobs they do.
As Zambia approaches another election, political leaders must remember that they are seeking a mandate to serve the people — not permission to punish them.
