Lusambo, Chisenga tension deepens

TENSION has deepened between Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo and Ndola Mayor Amon Chisenga following the former’s remarks that he was boss in the province.

But Mr Chisenga, who is PF provincial party vice chairperson, has charged that no one including the minister was above party structures.

Of late tension has been simmering between the two which has resulted in an increasingly acrimonious relationship.

“I am PF Copperbelt provincial party vice chairperson, who is Bowman to tell me he is my boss?” Mr. Amon Chisenga questioned when he addressed party officials who had gathered at Lowenthal Theatre.

This was after the Ndola Magistrates Court discharged a Kabushi constituency official on a suspended sentence.

Mr. Chisenga accused Mr. Lusambo of having failed to run his constituency.

Mr. Chisenga said no member of Parliament (MP) was above the party executive structures even if they had the opportunity to be appointed to save as ministers.

He said all MPs were subject to party disciplinary action and emphasised that they had no platform to dictate to the party.

“Not withstanding his appointment, it’s not wrong to condemn when a minister errors. I called him to engage him over issues that have been arising from his constituency involving party officials. In response, he said that he was my boss and I could not speak with him on such matters.

“I am calling on the office of the party secretary general to orient Lusambo and put it to him that he is not above party structures,” an angry Mr Chisenga said.

Mr. Chisenga has since advised the Kabushi law maker to put his house in order by addressing internal conflicts among executive members in his constituency.

He said that petty matters arising from the constituency executive members had been dragged to courts when they could have been resolved internally.

Efforts to get Mr.Lusambo on his phone and his office failed by press time.