Thu, 18 Jan 2018 11:19:26 +0000
By PETER MALASHA
A SCAM has been unearthed at Mkushi District Council where 16 stall plots at Itala market have not been receipted and one applicant being swindled out of about K16, 000 by a named councillor.
The scam has resulted in some applicants losing out despite paying the required amount for the stalls.
This development has sparked speculations among community members who wanted to know the truth about the matter.
According to the Daily Nation investigations, the allocation of the stall plots was marred by irregularities and inconsistencies.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Nation, Itala Market committee secretary Obbedy Sichinga disclosed that, out of the total 78 plots created, only 62 were lawfully receipted.
He said, out of the 16 receipted stall plots, six were labelled as council stall plots and others were unknown.
Mr Sichinga said out of the same six stall plots labelled as council plots; two were allocated to some developers by Chibefwe ward councillor Geshom Musonda.
Mr. Sichinga further explained that, upon getting wind of the development, he went to inspect and found the named two developers busy preparing the foundations.
“I stopped the developers from going ahead since they did not have receipts and proper documentations to prove that the plots were legally allocated to them. But to my dismay, a named area councillor followed me. He threatened and blasted me over my action.” Mr. Sichinga explained.
Mr. Schinga added that, there were no proper coordination between the officers entrusted to allocate plots and the market committee. He said lack of monitoring of the activities by the local authority had resulted into developers encroaching on the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church premises.
Mr. Sichinga further explained that some stands were bigger than others because the area councillor instructed that the size of some stands be increased claiming he had authority to control the allocation of stands.
He said it was not fair for applicants to pay the same charge of K1, 500 for a stand of 2.5m x5m and one at 4m x4m.
And Mkushi’s Danny General dealers’ proprietor Danny Sikapizye told the Daily Nation that he was swindled out of K16, 000 by a named ward councillor who pledged to allocate him four stall plots with the help of some council officials.
Mr. Sikapizye explained that the councillor followed him to ask if he was interested in stall plots that the council would be allocating.
Sikapizye said he welcomed the idea as he wanted to expand his business and help his brothers who had no permanent business premises.
“In the first place, I paid K12, 000 even before the designated stall plots land was cleared early last year. Again he came back to solicit for K8, 000 so that the amount goes up to K20, 000. But l refused instead l gave him K4, 000.” Mr. Sikapizye explained.
According to the report presented to the second ordinary council meeting by the ADHOC committee instituted to look into the issues of Itala market stall plots allocation.
The council had no direct hand in the allocation except to guide on the process and building of the stands.
The old market committee adjusted some stands to 4m x 4m as opposed to 2.5m x 2.5ms and gave a go ahead to develop the stands not the council.
It was also discovered that, applicants’ Stanbic Bank deposit slips were submitted directly to the Planning department instead of being receipted by the Licencing office.
Further the area councillor had allocated some stands next to the transformer and on outlet road to a Mr. Danny Sikapizye and a Mr. Chisanga 9.5m x 3m and (2.5m x5m x 5 x 4) respectively.
Also, records of the market committee showed that 77 applicants fully paid for the stands, as opposed to the council records which showed 61.
But physically counting of the stands, it was found that they were 76 and some illegal foundations allocated by the area councillor were buried by the Council.
Following the development a lot of questions remained unanswered.
Some residents have questioned how the illegal act was conducted without quick notice at the local authority and have since called on the investigating wings such as anti-corruption commission to intervene.
