Tue, 13 Dec 2016 12:35:04 +0000
By Oscar Malipenga
KATANSHI Independent member of Parliament Anthony Mumba is angry that Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Davis Mwila has instructed councillors and Mayor in Mufulira not to work with him and has appealed to President Edgar Lungu to intervene because such a stance would deprive his constituency of development.
Mr Mumba complained that the decree by Mr Mwila that PF party officials, Councillors and the mayor should not to work him (Mumba) had left the people of Kantanshi disappointed.
Mr Mumba has since appealed to President Lungu to intervene in the matter.
Mr Mumba claimed that Mr Mwila allegedly instructed Mufulira Mayor and all the party officials not to work with him (Mumba) as an Independent MP.
“I respect the fact that one of his roles is to mobilize the party and as he mobilizes the party, there will be a number of statements that he will need to issue to reenergize the party But in reference to Kantanshi constituency where he is reported to have said that the people of Kantanshi will suffer for electing an Independent candidate because I do not belong to the ruling party, I find it odd that the governing party should decide not to work with MPs not belonging to the party. I am appealing to President Lungu to intervene because such a stance means that many Constituencies will be deprived of development,” Mr Mumba said.
He said while he had respect for Mr Mwila decision, he said it was important for the PF chief executive to look at what he termed as the bigger picture in governing the country.
Mr Mumba said the bigger picture was that an MP was the interface between the Constituency and the executive which was the government through which citizens could have development.
Mr Mumba claimed he had continued to enjoy warm and cordial relationship with President Lungu and wondered why Mr Mwaila had adopted an antagonistic style of administration in the ruling party.
“So, it is unfortunate that driving agenda for the country has narrowed it down to a political agenda where councilors of Kantanshi constituency have been directed not to woerk with me. In fact, he has even gone further to warn the Mufulira mayor not to entertain me because according to Mwila, the mayor has been pushing the agenda in district that we need to work together for the development of the district,” Mr Mumba said.
Mr Mumba explained that his concern was that the Mr Mwila should avoid isolating the ruling party from governing with those who were opposed to it and reconsider his position on banning PF officials from working with the governing party.
“For the last two months, I have been donating 10 percent of my salary to the people of Kantanshi something that has never happened in history of the constituency. Secondly, we have managed through President Lungu’s support to receive funds for Ndola-Mufulira-Mukambo road which will create over 8000 jobs. This is within the two months that I have been Mp,” Mr Mumba said.
