Maravi

Over 30 Polling assistant applicants in Mansa cry foul

Over 30 Polling assistant applicants in Mansa cry foul
By Mwala Kalaluka and Simon Mutuna in Mansa
Saturday October 11, 2008 [04:00]

OVER 30 Mansa residents that applied to be considered as polling assistants in the presidential poll have cried foul over the Council's decision to leave them out of the final list.

Speaking on behalf of their colleagues in Mansa yesterday, Loveness Musonda, a civil servant and two school leavers, Ednah Ndhlovu and Joseph Mwandwe, complained that council officials allowed them to attend the workshop for potential polling assistants for three days and they were wondering why they were left out of the final list.

Musonda also said they felt that by allowing them to attend the workshop, the council officials had committed themselves to paying them the K75, 000 daily allowances that they were entitled to as participants.

“Why did they allow us to put our names in the register and to even put our national registration card numbers when they are not paying us our K300, 000? Do they want to use our names to pay other people?” Musonda asked.

She said despite their names not appearing on the list of people that were supposed to attend the workshop, they were assured by some council officials that they could attend the interaction because the required number of polling assistants had not been met.

“The town clerk told the people that were there that just go inside and learn, we will scrutinise the people during the exam,” Musonda said. “That is how even the students from Mansa Trades went in the workshop. Some of our friends were taken and allowed to do the exams and 37 of us were left out because we did not have exam numbers, but where did our friends get the exam numbers?”

But Mansa returning officer Allan Mandefu said the group would not receive any payment from the council because they had forced their way into the workshop.
“Those people that applied and were not picked forced matters and attended the workshop illegally,” Mandefu said.

“We explained to them that they were not appearing on any of the lists. We had a working target but those are figures I can’t reveal.”
Mandefu pointed out that paying the group of complainants would cause some audit concerns for the local authority.

Labels: ELECTIONS

posted by MrK @ 3:49 AM