THE Caucus for PF Copperbelt members of parliament has welcomed the transfer of Kabushi member of parliament Bowman Lusambo as provincial minister.
Lusambo had rejected the caucus committee, calling it a group that was only bringing confusion on the Copperbelt. On Tuesday, President Lungu made Cabinet reshuffles which saw Lusambo being transferred to Lusaka as provincial minister, swapping with Japhen Mwakalombe.
Caucus for Copperbelt MPs secretary Jonas Chanda, who is Bwana Mkubwa member of parliament, said the committee welcomed the transfer of Lusambo.
“We welcome His Excellency President Edgar Lungu’s Cabinet reshuffles both at central and provincial government levels. President Lungu’s decision was in line with his Constitutional functions to ensure efficiency and competence in service delivery to the Zambian people,” Dr Chanda said.
“The Copperbelt MPs fully welcome President Lungu’s appointment of immediate past Lusaka Province minister Hon. Japhen Mwakalombe as the new Copperbelt Province minister, and look forward to working with Hon. Mwakalombe to bring development to all constituencies on the Copperbelt. The Copperbelt MPs also want to thank President Lungu for appointing two (2) more Copperbelt MPs – Chililabombwe MP and past Parliamentary Chief Whip Hon Richard Musukwa as new Mines Minister, and Luanshya Central MP and past Parliamentary Deputy Chief Whip Hon Stephen Chungu as the new Parliamentary Chief Whip.”
The caucus, according to Dr Chanda, also wished immediate Lusambo well in his new role as Lusaka Province minister. Following his appointment as Copperbelt minister after the 2016 elections, Lusambo, the MMD Die Hard coordinator, was accused of working against the ruling party.
In December 2016, Vice-President Inonge Wina and later PF secretary Davies Mwila had to make urgent trips to the Copperbelt to resolve a bitter disagreement that erupted between Lusambo and some PF officials over allocation of land.
Lusambo had accused PF members and officials of not following procedure when acquiring land, an accusation which the ruling party leadership in the province dismissed.
Mwila advised Lusambo to work closely with the party in the province to foster the ruling party’s development agenda. The party secretary general said it is important for Lusambo to dialogue with party officials as they had the same goals of delivering development to the people in the province. And early this month, PF Copperbelt members of parliament Lusambo who had disapproved their caucus formed to help strengthen the ruling party in the region.
During a briefing at his office, Lusambo said the caucus committee was a recipe for confusion.
“We don’t have this group. There are only two groups on the Copperbelt. That is for politics and administration. For politics, it’s our provincial chairman Steven Kainga who is the Copperbelt PF chairman and for administration I am in charge as provincial minister. So these other groups are just for confusion,” said Lusambo.
But the caucus went ahead with its activities and convened in Lusaka where it pledged support to President Lungu’s third term bid.
Read this article from the original source: CB PF MPs Welcome Lusambo’s Transfer.