• PRESIDENT Michael Sata receives an affidavit of oath from newly appointed Home Affairs Minister Ngosa Simbyakula during the swearing in ceremony held at State House in Lusaka yesterday. Picture by CLEVER ZULU
By XAVIER MANCHISHI -
PRESIDENT Michael Sata yesterday admonished Youth and Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili after he questioned the credibility of Ngosa Simbyakula as the new Home Affairs Minister.
Last week, Dr Simbyakula was elevated to a full Cabinet position in the Ministry of Home Affairs taking over from Edgar Lungu, who was moved to the Ministry of Defence.
This follows the resignation of former Defence minister Geoffrey Mwamba last week.
President Sata, prior to swearing in Dr Simbyakula, expressed displeasure over the remarks attributed to Mr Kambwili, who was not present during the ceremony at State House yesterday.
President Sata asked the gathering of members of his Cabinet as to where Mr Kambwili was, in an effort to find out from him why he had questioned the Head of State’s authority in appointing Dr Simbyakula.
“Where is Chishimba Kambwili? I would have loved him to be here since he said Dr Simbyakula is not capable of being Home Affairs minister,” the President said before receiving the affidavit of Oath from Dr Simbyakula.
At this point Community Development, Mother and Child Health Minister Joseph Katema informed the President that Mr Kambwili was in Mpika on a Youth Empowerment Fund programme.
“Kambwili is in Mpika doing what? He is in Mpika and how come I don’t know about it? Anyway, let’s get on with the programme,” he said.
During his routine of shaking hands with the senior Government officials present, the President stopped where Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Elfreda Kansembe was standing and asked her when she was going to resign, but the deputy minister remained mute. ”You are also here?” The President asked.
“I heard that you are also planning to resign. I know your constituency very well and if you resign, I will go and campaign and come back here to swear in someone else in your position,” Mr Sata briefly conferred with Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba whom he told that the former Defence minister was demanding to be taken care of in the same way the President had done with him.
After the swearing in ceremony, President Sata went on to chair a full Cabinet meeting behind closed doors.
