Zambia’s ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party has indefinitely suspended Kitwe Mayor from all activities after he was found guilty of refusing to line up and greet the country’s First Lady at a church function.

The party has also recommended the Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe be expelled.

PF Copperbelt Provincial Chairman Nathan Chanda told Phoenix FM in Kitwe that Kang’ombe refused to be officially recognised at the meeting chaired by the First Lady despite being called three times.

Kang’ombe is said to have fumed after the First Lady Esther Lungu’s security detail changed the seating arrangement at the church and opted for him not to seat next to her.

This irked the Mayor, who then refused to stand up and greet the congregation when invited by the Bishop after the service.

He later refused to join a queue of personalities that had lined up to shake the First Lady’s hand and his vehicle convoy was later spotted breaking away from H.E Lungu’s cars which were headed to the presidential Guest House in Ndeke.

The First Lady is said to have dismissed the incident, terming it as “childish”.

Chanda added that the actions were not only disrespectful to the First Lady but also the republican President as well and are tantamount to gross misconduct.

“We have requested the PF Copperbelt executive to unanimously uphold the recommendations of the disciplinary committee, requesting the central committee to consider invoking Article 74, clause 30 (VII) as recommended by the Provincial Disciplinary Committee to exclude Mr Kang’ombe from his position of Provincial vice-chairman.”

The accused has been given 14 days to appeal.