By GIDEON NYENDWA AND ROGERS KALERO
I have been sacrificed by my fellow members in the UPND who want to gain political mileage at the expense of my downfall, Chingola Mayor Johnson Kang’ombe has said.
Mr Kang’ombe whose two properties were set ablaze by angry residents after the Chingola municipal council demolished 300 houses that were illegally constructed on the land for Kasompe Airstrip, said his fellow UPND members were the ones propelling the lies that he was the one who allocated the illegal plots at the Airstrip.
Mr Kang’ombe said the issue of demolishing the houses started last year in and after a series of meetings the local authority had settled for February 2022 as the month that were supposed to demolish the houses.
Mr Kang’ombe said the demolition process only got delayed to August 2022 because he had intervened as Mayor and suggested that the demolition should be halted until alternative land for the people who had already spent lots of money was found.
He said he suggested this because he understood the sufferings and he wanted them to demolish the houses themselves so that they could save whatever they could.
Mr Kang’ombe said it was unfortunate that some of the people were not happy with his suggestion and started spreading lies that he was the one who had sold the illegal plots to the people that was why he was defending them.
“I am just a sacrificial lamb,” he said. He also said the same people went outside and started spreading lies to the people suggesting that the Mayor had recommended the demolition of the houses, which was why the people were angry and vented their anger on him.
Mr Kang’ombe said he was nowhere near the authorization of the construction of the illegal houses on the Airstrip.
He said the problem was with the Zambia Civil Aviation Authority because they allowed the people to encroach on their land without doing anything until the structures were completed.
“They might have allowed the illegal construction,” he said.
Mr Kang’ombe said he had understood the Plight of the people that was why he delayed the demolishing but due to the pressure from his party and the local authority he was forced to give them a go ahead.
He said there was pressure from the party and that was the reason why the minister of Transport and Logistics, Frank Tayali, visited Chingola to discuss the demolition.
Mr Kang’ombe said his colleagues in the UPND started calling him a PF cadre because of the stance he took. He said the biggest opposition of the UPND was the party itself because the internal wrangle were too much.
Meanwhile former Luanshya Mayor and Patriotic Front (PF) Copperbelt Chairman Nathan Chanda has said it is inhuman and barbaric for the Chingola Municipal Council (CMC) to demolish houses of poor people in Kasompe area without finding an alternative place for them.
Mr Chanda said as a former civic leader, he was taken aback by the local authority to demolish houses of poor people in Kasompe area without finding alternative places to accommodate them.
“As a former civic leader and mayor of Luanshya, I find it inhuman for the council to carry out demolitions, amid cries from the affected people.
“As much as, illegalities should not be supported, it is imperative for the council to engage the people and find alternative land before demolishing houses. It is a fact that people spend money to build houses either on legal or illegal land.
“I fully sympathise with the affected people, who are our local citizens” Mr Chanda said
He urged the council to find alternative land and give it to the affected people immediately, saying the local authority should always look at the welfare of the people first before harsh decisions are made.
“We don’t support the move taken by Chingola Municipal Council and its management without an alternative. We call on the ministries concerned, including the police to investigate this matter and bring the culprits who sold the land illegally to book,” Mr Chanda said.
