Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has issued a stern warning to ministers who doze off during meetings, attributing their lack of attentiveness to “indulgence” and a failure of self-discipline.

Speaking during a swearing-in ceremony for a new minister, Hichilema questioned how officials could start dozing off immediately after arriving for cabinet sittings, despite having had ample time to rest.

“The question is, where were they? To me, that is a crime—a serious crime,” Hichilema stated.

While he did not explicitly define what he meant by “indulgence,” local media have interpreted it as referring to excessive alcohol consumption and late-night partying.

The president warned that such behavior not only hampers service delivery but also risks exposing state secrets due to inattentiveness in critical government discussions.

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