Arrest crooked Councillors – Kapata

By KETRA KALUNGA

Prosecute all the councillors that are involved in illegal land allocation in Kabwe district, Lands minister, Jean Kapata has directed the law enforcement agencies.

And Ms. Kapata says the Kabwe manicipal council risks being suspended for the second time if activities of illegal land allocation continue in the district.

The Lands minister said it was very sad that the Kabwe manicipal council has allowed the illegality to continue despite being suspended over the matter.

Ms Kapata said it was unfortunate that the local authority has failed to follow the conditions that the ministry of lands attached for the lifting of the suspension of its land agency.

“If you remember, at some point we had suspended them and even after we gave them back the land agency, there were conditions that we gave them and it’s unfortunate that the council   has not followed those conditions,” she said.

The minister was speaking yesterday in Kabwe when she paid a courtesy call on Central province minister, Sydney Mushanga before addressing heads of government department on the Land Titling Program.

Ms. Kapata said the council working with the office of the district commissioner should ensure that the people including councilors that are involved in illegal land allocation are arrested and prosecute.

She said illegal land allocation was a crime and therefore should be treated as such because the vice was making people lose properties through demolitions of illegal structures.

“It’s criminal, and it becomes a police case,  I will give a good example, we suspended Lusaka and Kitwe councils we just reinstated them with conditions that the councillors that were found wanting we are taking them to court and will be prosecuted,” she said.

The minister was responding to provincial minister, Mr. Mushanga who noted with concern the increased illegal land allocation in Kabwe district which in most cases are perpetrated by the councillors.