Mon, 07 Nov 2016 09:42:13 +0000
VICE-PRESIDENT Inonge Wina has lambasted the Ndola City Council civic leaders for breaking the country’s law with impunity by engaging in criminal activities of illegally allocating land in the city. And hostility among Patriotic Front (PF) cadres characterised the atmosphere at the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport yesterday who are angry with the position of Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo to fight corruption in all the municipalities in the region.
Vice-President Wina charged that she was aware that councillors in Ndola were involved in criminal activities and were using their positions to illegally acquire land or allocate land which was not meant for domestic or commercial activities.
Vice-President Wina charged that there were a lot of illegalities in the allocation of land and that some councillors were breaking the law with impunity. “The developers have gone to the extent of spending money building houses when they know very well that the land being developed is illegal.
And the council also waits until projects are fully developed and nothing happens. People are breaking the law with impunity, that is all I can say,” Mrs Wina said. But PF cadres who had gone to the airport to welcome Vice-President Wina yesterday caused confusion, plotted to fish out and block PF officials identified as Chisha Mwambazi and Edward Ndalama who were accused of working with Mr Lusambo in his crusade to nip corruption in the bud that was governing most of the councils on the Copperbelt. Ndola deputy Mayor Kenny Kasabo was a victim of harassment by the PF cadres who attempted to block him from entering the premises of the airport after he was accused of working with Mr Lusambo to stop the illegal and indiscriminate allocation of land on the Copperbelt by councillors.
Mr Kasabo was ordered by the cadres not to disembark from his official car and told to leave the airport grounds but later returned forcing his way into the airport premises and sought the protection of the Provincial Minister Lusambo. PF Copperbelt Provincial Information Publicity Secretary (IPS) Jack Muwema then charged at Kasabo asking him to leave because he was supporting Mr Lusambo’s hard stance against corruption in the councils. Mr Kasabo was only saved after Mr Lusambo asked the police to deal with Muwema who did not see the difference between a party function and that of the State and was causing confusion at the airport.
Deputy police commissioner Mr. Chewe quickly moved in after realising that Mr. Muwema was threatening Mr Lusambo with unknown reprisals for his stance to order the demolition of illegal and corruptly acquired structures. Journalists that filmed the incident which included ZNBC staffer Lillian Kalaba were verbally and physically harassed by cadres in full view of PF provincial senior leadership that was at the airport to welcome Vice-President Wina. As the plane carrying Vice-President touched down, the PF cadres were shouting that they were not happy with Mr Lusambo whom they have accused of dividing the governing party in the region.
Mrs. Wina then proceeded to site visit Kafubu River bank and Dola hill where it is alleged developers acquired plots illegally. Ndola Town Clerk informed the Vice-President that developers had been told to halt their activities at Kafubu River bank but the council directive has fallen on deaf ears. Some developers that were on site told Mrs. Wina that they had legal documentation from Ndola City Council (NCC) of having been offered land. And on Levy Mwanawasa Stadium Car park land saga, NCC director planning Lombe Mwakanandi said the local authority only learnt of the encroachment during the development of commercial plots which the Council had allocated on site.
Mr. Mwakanandi said the only approved developments on site were two car parks and commercial plots. And Ndola Mayor Amon Chisenga informed the Vice-President that the local authority was only going to protect those with documentation which were going to be subjected to verification. “Illegality is illegality. The plots in question must be brought down but the problem I have is with the Provincial Minister Mr. Lusambo accusing party cadres of being involved in this illegality,” he said.
