Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo says there was no need for celebrating the Constitutional Court’s decision that declared President Edgar Lungu eligible for the 2021 general election, because it was a known outcome to the party since it followed the law.

And Kampyongo says government will summon Lubambe Copper Mine CEO Nick Bowen to show cause why he should not be disciplined for being disrespectful to Zambians.

Speaking during the PF Interactive Forum yesterday, Kampyongo who is also PF National Youth Chairperson said the ruling by the Constitutional Court on President Lungu’s eligibility for 2021 was not a question of celebration because it was how things were supposed to be.

He endorsed President Lungu for 2021, adding that those who wanted to contest against him should wait for the convention.

“On the recent ruling by Constitutional Court, for me, it’s not a question of celebration, it’s a question of saying ‘yes this is how things are supposed to be’. Whether it comes to the incumbent being eligible, that’s another thing. Because for us as PF even when we were saying [that] we are set with our leader, it’s because we knew, we were following the law as it’s prescribed. Those who want to contest against President Lungu, (should do so) during the convention because a resolution has been done. As National Youth Chairman, I have endorsed the candidature of President Lungu for 2021,” he said.

Commenting on the threats of job losses in the mining industry, Kampyongo assured the mine workers union that government was with them in ensuring that the threats were dealt with.

“On the recent threats of job losses in the mining industry, I want to assure the mine workers union that we are with them in ensuring that these threats are dealt with. We need to have mutual respect, the investors and the government. We shouldn’t engage in a manner that shows that we are being done a favour as a nation by the investors who have come to invest here for profits. Of course when we ask them to create jobs, its not like they are giving us a favour, they are not giving us a favour,” he said.

“To the CEO’s and all those in senior management who are foreign nationals, they must understand and appreciate that we are here to support them so that their investments can flourish. But they should also remember every time they are talking about the Zambian worker, they must look at the work permit they are holding from the Ministry of Home Affairs. So when they talk about downsizing the Zambian work force, they shouldn’t avoid talking about downsizing the foreign work force, and that’s where we start from.”

Kampyongo further said it was disheartening that some mining houses were daring government over the budget measures that the Ministry of Finance had proposed, adding that budget formed part of the law and anyone law abiding person had no option.

He added that government would summon Lubambe Copper Mine CEO to show cause why he should not be disciplined for being disrespectful to Zambians.

“I must single out one mining house, Lubambe. I want to warn the Chief Executive there that if he wants to continue being disrespectful to Zambians either in management or ordinary workers, he will certainly have no one to blame if we ask him to leave. You can’t believe this is the CEO who had the audacity to write to the DC in the district where they are operating from, in a manner that was disrespectful. This CEO will be summoned to come and show cause why he cannot be disciplined. We are in support of the Ministry of Labour who have said ‘we are not going to tolerate this kind of arm twisting tactics by the mining houses’,” said Kampyongo.