MILUPI OFFSIDE

WE are shocked over the reported behaviour of Mr Charles Milupi, the minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development while in Kitwe on Thursday.

The public spat that we reported in our edition yesterday involving the minister and the mayor of Kitwe, Ms Mpasa Mwaya makes sad reading for it was uncalled for. 

Mr Milupi has always stood out as one of the most respected ministers in the new dawn administration.But we feel the manner in which he behaved in Kitwe might tarnish his image and reputation as a down to earth public official.

That he chose to ignore the office of the mayor while carrying out his ministerial duties in her jurisdiction is wrong and out of the long-held practice of visiting dignitaries paying a courtesy call on the local leadership.We are not surprised that Ms Mwaya was upset and decided to confront the minister.

Apparently, Ms Mwaya was not impressed that Mr Milupi was in the city to unveil the contractor for the Chibuluma Road without the courtesy of informing or inviting her to be part of the event as the most senior civic leader of Kitwe.

When she was informed that Mr Milupi was inspecting roads in Kitwe, she decided to follow the minister to find out why her office had been ignored but he instead said her presence was not needed.It was at this point that Ms Mwaya decided to walk out on Mr Milupi after he told her that he had the right to choose which office or district he would visit and would not deliver development to, if he so wished.

The minister’s response came after Ms Mwaya bemoaned lack of engagement to her office yet the council was troubled in responding to residents’ cries – mending potholes, doing dust suppression on Chibuluma Road and calming them.

Ms Mwaya asked if it was because she was from the Patriotic Front that each time the minister was in the district he never passed through her office In response, Mr Milupi said he had the right to choose 

which office or district he would visit and would not deliver development if he so wished.But, when contacted for a comment, Mr Milupi said the Chibuluma Road was not a council project, but a government project and so there was no need to report to the mayor We do not think Mr Milupi would have lost anything by acknowledging the presence of the mayor after all he is a cabinet minister whose jurisdiction includes Kitwe. That is what etiquette demands.

We think Mr Milupi is sending a wrong message not wanting to work with the civic leadership in Kitwe by being partisan.

His behaviour defeats the notion of having an allinclusive government in which political functionaries across the political divide work together by virtue of the offices they occupy.

If anything, the PF should be commended that civic leaders elected on its ticket are not banned from attending government functions as was evidenced when the United Party for National Development was in opposition.Zambians want to see unity in diversity and what espouses this more than seeingministers and civil leaders from the opposition working together for the common good of the country.Mr Milupi should be gracious and apology for his poor judgement.

[/ihc-hide-content