Chipata mayor pledges to accelerate development

Chipata mayor pledges to accelerate development
By Christopher Miti
Thursday September 13, 2007 [04:01]

CHIPATA mayor Sinoya Mwale has said he will not tolerate people who want to frustrate developmental programmes. And Kanjala Ward councillor Jealous Phiri charged that the mayoral elections in the town were marred by malpractices. In an interview after being re-elected Chipata mayor on Tuesday, Mwale promised to ensure that the town developed at a faster rate.

“There is a lot of bickering in Chipata. The people who want to frustrate development programmes will not be tolerated because we want to develop,”Mwale said.

He called for unity among the people in terms of developmental programmes.
“The current road repairs in Chipata are impressive but there is need for togetherness among the people if the project is to move as per expectation,”Mwale said.

He appealed to members of parliament to take keen interest in attending council meetings. “I will make sure that members of parliament, who are also councillors, take keen interest in attending council meetings to deliberate developmental issues,”Mwale said.

Mwale retained his position after polling 15 votes while his rival Marvern Zulu of Chiparamba got 10 votes. And Phiri, who also contested the mayoral position, said he would petition the results because the elections were marred by malpractices.

"I will petition the results because there is no way I can lose after doing serious campaigns,” Phiri said. He alleged that mayor elect Mwale engaged in corrupt practices to win the seat.

“I strongly believe the mayor-elect distributed some money to the councillors so that they could vote for him,”Phiri said.

But in response, Mwale said he did not have money to corrupt people and said he won because his colleagues trusted him. Chipangali councillor Wilson Tembo won the position of deputy mayor.