Tue, 01 Aug 2017 10:04:51 +0000
By ANNIE ZULU
AN opposition leader has called on the Ministry of Local Government to dissolve the Ndola City Council following reports of corruption practices going on at the local authority.
National Revolution Party president Cosmo Mumba has said that such reports were likely to dent the government’s image if not addressed urgently.
“Corruption at NCC leaves much to be desired, it’s like the people there have failed to run the council effectively and transparently. The council was riddled with corrupt activities, especially involving officials.
“I’m appealing to the Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale to consider dissolving the council because it is denting the image of Government.
“This is a government institution which is mandated to give service delivery to the people of Ndola, but with these corruption cases, it’s not a good thing at all. There is need for the minister to make some changes at the local authority so that it can deliver good service to the people,” Mr Mumba said.
He urged relevant authorities to investigate corruption reports at the council.
Mr Mumba said those who would be found wanting should be brought to book so as to set as an example to would be offenders.
“The law should visit all those people that will be found wanting,” he said.He was reacting to reports that the council has sold two public parks to a developer as well as rampant illegal land allocations that led to the council’s land agency being revoked.
The Local Government Service Commission has in the recent past effected transfers with over 100 staff from Ndola City Council, including seniors officers, being moved.
Meanwhile, Mr Mumba has claimed that he was more popular on the Copperbelt than Roan Member of Parliament, Chishimba Kambwili.
Mr Mumba charged that it was ridiculous for Mr Kambwili to continue bragging of being popular on the Copperbelt and thinking that the Patriotic Front (PF) would not survive without him in the province.
He told the Daily Nation in an interview that the expulsion of Mr Kambwili from PF did not have any impact on the party and the province as a whole because he (Kambwili) was not a factor.
Mr Mumba indicated that Mr Kambwili was no longer popular on the Copperbelt, saying that he (Mumba) was even more popular than him now.
“It baffles me when I hear Kambwili claiming to be popular on the Copperbelt, so I’m now appealing to any electoral body to conduct an opinion poll on the Copperbelt between me and Chishimba Kambwili to see who is popular on the Copperbelt.
“As far as I am concerned, I am very popular among the people on the Copperbelt. Kambwili lost popularity in the province a long time ago, so I challenge him,” he said.
