Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo says Constitutional lawyer John Sangwa State Counsel is a disgruntled lawyer who has failed to use his legal skills correctly.

And Lusambo says people should stop questioning the source of his money which he donates because how he chooses to use his money is nobody’s business.

Speaking when he featured on Muvi TV’s The Assignment programme, Sunday, Lusambo said Sangwa should not try to be a star with him because he knows so much about him.

“John Sangwa is a disgruntled lawyer. He has failed to use his skills correctly. I know John Sangwa very well. I know a lot about him. So, if John Sangwa wants to be a star in this country, not with me. And for me to be answering people like John Sangwa is a waste of time. I have a lot of things to do,” Lusambo said, when asked to comment on Sangwa’s remarks that those who got rich in government jobs were thieves.

And asked where he gets a lot of money which he donates, Lusambo said only if he was a street kid would people have a justifiable reason of asking him that question.

“But I work. And I have been working for the past four years. And I get paid and I have allowances as well. So being a leader, yes, I have to subject my life and activities to the people of Zambia to know exactly what I am doing. But I was elected by the people of Zambia. I am a member of parliament for Kabushi constituency and I sit in Parliament and I get allowances. And I sit in government office as well and I get paid. So, where I use my money is not your business. What you are supposed to know is that ‘is Bowman working or not?’ If I was a street kid, you would have asked me to say ‘where are you getting the money from?’ It’s personal money because where else can I get other sources of money apart from where I work?” he asked.

Meanwhile, Lusambo said the ruling Patriotic Front, under the leadership of President Edgar Lungu, had no competitor for 2021.

“PF under the leadership of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, we have no competitor but because of democracy, other people will participate. And we are okay with that because they have to fulfill the tendency of democracy. That Edgar Chagwa Lungu you see in State House is a force to reckon with. And for the party, they have decided that he will be their candidate for 2021. He will be there on the ballot and the people of Zambia are going to vote for him. The roads have been constructed, other infrastructures have been constructed, we have pumped money in the agriculture sector, and in the health sector. What more do you want? Which magic are you going to use? Let us forget about the presidential election. Come to the parliamentary election, who is going to compete with the bulldozer in Kabushi constituency? I can even go to Samfya beach today and enjoy with my family up to the voting day [but I will still win],” Lusambo said.

When asked why he did not conduct phone interviews for radio rather than having to physically be at a station, Lusambo said he was not a common citizen like Hakainde Hichilema.

“I am a government worker. I am not like Hakainde Hichilema. Hakainde Hichilema is just one of the Zambians. There is no difference between Hakainde Hichilema and my daughter Sibongile. No difference at all. I have a duty and I have to work. Are you telling me that I have to suspend all my responsibilities and start working from home on the phone? For me, I have to check on projects. I have to go and see what is happening in my districts. I am not like other people. Other people can continue sleeping from Monday to Friday, there is no impact. But if I sleep from Monday to Friday, the people of Lusaka will be affected. Coronavirus is a disease just like any other disease,” he said.

He said if people had behaved and followed the health guidelines from the start, the K750 penalty fee for those not wearing masks wouldn’t have been there.

“Fighting COVID-19 is not a responsibility of government alone. Here there is democracy and this democracy has reached our heads to a point where you want everything to be provided by our government. And this democracy is not good. When we went to Chilenje, Kabwata, and other places to control the people, democracy came in the name of human rights, but people are dying. So, democracy is good and bad. What we were doing was good to protect the lives of people. And with the zeal that we had from March until now…[but the zeal has gone] because of democracy and human rights. Do you know why the SI is here? If we had just behaved as citizens and realize that this is wrong and this is right, we wouldn’t have been talking about the SI or 750. Even the President himself is not happy that we are here today. Just to protect your life, government had to come up with an SI and start charging you, to protect your life?” asked Lusambo.

“This COVID-19 has a lot of stigmas. The reason why we are seeing a lot of BIDs is because of stigma. People don’t want to go to the hospital to get tested because they are afraid that people will talk about them. Even me, if I delayed, I would have been a BID.”