ZANACO questions overdrawing of Lukulu East CDF account

ZANACO questions overdrawing of Lukulu East CDF account
Written by Mwala Kalaluka
Saturday, May 09, 2009 4:05:48 PM

ZANACO has asked the Lukulu East constituency development committee to explain circumstances leading to the overdrawing of its Constituency Development Fund (CDF) account.

And Lukulu council secretary Mutakela Kabombo has so far declined to appear before the local authority’s Finance Committee to explain his alleged misuse of council funds.

Lukulu East United Liberal Party (ULP) member of parliament Batuke Imenda has disclosed that it has come to his knowledge that the CDF account had been misappropriated without his knowledge.

In a letter addressed to Kabombo and copied to Lukulu district commissioner Edwin Kasempa, local government minister Benny Tetamashimba and the Western Province local government officer, among others, Imenda pledged to officially report the misappropriation to the police for further investigations.

“It has come to my knowledge that the Constituency Development Fund Account has been misappropriated without my knowledge,” Imenda stated. ìInstructions to all signatories were that no withdrawal was going to be made without my approval.”

Imenda indicated that at the committeeís last sitting, the account had a balance of K79 million for contingency purposes.

“Out of that, K12 million was approved to cater for a training programme for cooperators and all councillors. The account was left with a balance of K67 million,” he stated. ìRealising that we needed to use all the funds for financial year 2008, with a view of compiling some returns to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Housing, I asked the CDF committee for approval.”

Imenda further stated that to his utter shock and dismay, he learnt that a K10 million cheque that was allocated to the Lukulu Radio Community Cooperative had bounced.

“Further inquiries pointed to the fact that our account has been overdrawn and that Zanaco wants an explanation from us,” he wrote. “You may all know that our committee is a custodian of hard earned funds, for and on behalf of people of Lukulu. In the light of the aforesaid, I herewith declare the CDF committee dissolved.”

He stated that in conformity with Local Government guidelines, he would institute a new one in the shortest period of time.

And sources have disclosed that Lukulu councillors would be having an emergency council meeting in the next few days to discuss Kabombo’s failure to appear before the Finance Committee to explain financial misappropriations as highlighted in the recent audit report on the councilís book of accounts.

“An audit report in which the council secretary Kabombo Mutakela of Lukulu District Council was alleged to have misused council funds was discussed by the full council meeting on 06.03.09, chaired by Provincial Local Government Officers (PLGO),” the source said.” The meeting noted that the response to the audit queries, which was attributed to the councillors was discovered that all the reactions to the queries were made by the Council Secretary. Councilors were not consulted.”

The source said except for a few allegations, the councillors agreed with the findings of the audit report, which they said were quite damaging on the part of Kabombo.

“After consultations with the PLGO, the full council resolved that all queries be referred to the Finance Committee for scrutiny,” said the source. “The recommendations of the sub-committee should within one month be presented to the full council meeting for a final decision.”