By REBECCA MUSHOTA –

THE Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Howard Sikwela has ordered Masaiti District Commissioner Joseph Mwambana to stay away from work until further notice.
Mr Sikwela’s directive comes after Patriotic Front (PF) cadres locked Mr Mwambana out of his office for allegedly celebrating the MMD’s victory in the Chinondo Ward by-election in Masaiti.
Reverend Sikwela made the order yesterday in Masaiti when he met Mr Mwambana and other heads of department in the district.
On Tuesday, there was a ward by-election in Chinondo where MMD’s Shadreck Chitafu won after he polled 327 votes and beat Richard Tamani of the PF who got 249 votes, while Forum for Democracy and
Development’s Friday Grova got 126 votes and Maxwell Muzuni of the United Party for National Development got 79 votes.
It is alleged that Mr Mwambana celebrated the outcome of the election.
Copperbelt PF chairperson Stardy Mwale said when he met Rev Sikwela in Masaiti yesterd ay that Mr Mwambana was seen celebrating MMD’s win with other civil servants at the council office.
Mr Mwale said the PF cadres had tried to meet him so that they discussed the matter but Mr Mwambana had refused to do so.
He said the DC’s office and other Government offices did not even have raised flags and that some offices did not have President Michael Sata’s portraits or had small ones because Mr Mwambana supported the opposition.
Rev Sikwela, when speaking to Mr Mwambana, said in view of the allegations, the DC should stay away from the office to facilitate consultations and for the sake of his safety.
“I will communicate to you later on what will have been decided after I make consultations but for now stay away from your office so that I can consult and also for your own safety,” he said.
Earlier when Rev Sikwela met the DC and other heads of department in Masaiti, he said he did not want to base his judgment on rumours but that he was warning all civil servants against participating in partisan politics.