Maravi

UPND urges probe on MMD C/belt task force chairperson

UPND urges probe on MMD C/belt task force chairperson
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Wed 02 June 2010, 04:00 CAT

OPPOSITION UPND on the Copperbelt has accused the MMD of dubiously funding its Copperbelt task force chairperson Joel Malanji who is allegedly dishing out money and promising to construct a footbridge across the Kafue River at Mufuchani.

But Malanji, who is also Zambia Golf Union president, said his track record of working and organising community projects cannot be disputed considering the successes of the Zambia Open golf tournament where millions of kwacha are raised to stage the international championships.

In a statement, Copperbelt UPND vice youth chairman Kelly Jibinga challenged the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), the anti-money laundering unit to institute investigations on Malanji’s rugs to riches’ story since he does not own a credible business entity.

“As UPND, we have done a distant audit of Malanji’s briefcase activities that is, his past and present operations, and we found that Malanji does not have a credible business entity to warrant his pledge to build a K660 million footbridge and Malanji is further reported to have been dishing out money to a gathering in Ndola,” Jibinga stated.

“We believe Malanji is just an average Zambian currently living in a rented house. So we question his sudden sources of huge amounts of money but we strongly believe that MMD is abusing government resources which they are dubiously funding Malanji to win them support on the Copperbelt and in return Malanji has been promised to contest Kwacha Constituency in 2011 elections so we demand that ZRA and the Anti-money laundering unit to investigate Malanji’s rugs to riches story.”

But Malanji dismissed the allegations saying that MMD was going ahead to work with the community and in the interim would give people of Kakolo a footbridge to enhance interconnectivity of residents.

“This is not first time I am spearheading the raising of funds, colossal amounts of money like that, I have raised funds for the community, even last year people were wondering how we were going to raise funds for the Zambia golf open but we went to corporate houses and managed to raise more than US $240,000 (over K1.2 billion) basically to be a leader is not just politicking by promising things that cannot be delivered but you must show your prowess by having a track record on implementation of activities and I am coming from that angle,” Malanji reacted.

“The UPND’s cry that I am doing those things because I am eyeing Kwacha, that can’t hold water since as a leader even if I am vying for a post I have to show my prowess now and people see how I am able to coordinate the community, so if their (UPND) cry is that I am doing those things because I want to be adopted or get support for MMD is unfortunate. And I am even surprised that UPND can come out attacking people on the Copperbelt because as far as we are concerned UPND is on sale, their last offer based on a take it or leave it terms is from PF, so they are not in existence anymore and should keep quiet and let those individuals working for the people to continue.”

On Jibinga’s challenge to the ZRA and the anti-money laundering unit to institute investigations on his business activities, Malanji said it was not his obligation to display properties he owned to the UPND.

“I am told when delivering these statements Jibinga was in a taxi and I don’t know who even paid for the taxi fare but let him know that just from my cars they are worth over K1.5 billion so if he says Malanji is an average person, I don’t know what he takes for an average person and I am not worth less than K5 billion so I wonder what Jibinga meant by saying Malanji is an average person,” said Malanji.

“The people he went and picked are those that have got boats at Kafue River and they are afraid that when there is a bridge they won’t be charging people K10,000 they charge when ferrying people to cross the river and no sane person will say no to a bridge since it is development.”

Labels: COPPERBELT PROVINCE, MMD, UPND

posted by MrK @ 7:41 PM