The irony, according to inside sources, is that there appears to be a duplication in that e-government department has professionals ready for the tasks on permanent basis. The DRTSS has 62 non-established officers while the vacancy is at 44.

“We are renewing contracts for the non-established personnel awaiting optimal review of the department by the line ministry,” said DRTS Director Fergus Gondwe.

The friction is coming in as some senior officers in the department argue that the track record of the majority of the non-established officers is “poor and dangerous. There is evidence of the officers interfering with systems and cashing-in on the same.

“Why is the organization literary shielding interns some of whom have been caught on CCTV abusing the systems? We think that these are children or relations of politicians hence our leadership is afraid to take decisive action.

“Otherwise there are officers at e-government, ready to take up the tasks,” said one insider.

Zodiak Online has seen a request for funding for renewal of non-established posts in the department to treasury signed for by Transport secretary Francis Chinsinga.  

Transport minister Ralph Jooma said he needed time before commenting on this.

But a letter reference number C/HRM/2/12/23 from the secretary for transport and to the secretary to treasury is requesting for funding the controversial posts.

MALTIS is the main digital platform from which the department of Road Traffic performs most of its functions.

Our inside sources confide that some of the issues pertaining to performance and conduct of the non-established officers have been reported to the ACB for action.

“What we don’t understand is; why the insistence on these officers? We have a case in court against one, there is an issue of another abusing the system and public complaints about demands for kick-backs,” said another permanent officer.

But Director Gondwe insists that the contracts have been renewed to avoid disruption of operations pending outcome of the ministry functional review process.