Maravi

MMD councillor dares residents to protest naked

MMD councillor dares residents to protest naked
By Jack Mwape
Tue 04 Jan. 2011, 04:00 CAT

AN MMD ward councillor in Kasama says local residents are free to protest naked on the streets if they feel aggrieved by the alleged misappropriation of funds at Kasama Municipal Council.

Featuring on a live Bemba programme on Radio Mano community station, Francis Kombe, who is Julia Chikamoneka ward councillor, dared Kasama residents to protest if they felt aggrieved.

Kombe, who was initially interjected by the presenter Paul Chileshe to withdraw the remarks, however continued with his line of thought.

“As a council, even if people complain by (either) dancing in the streets or walking naked while carrying placards (to denounce the council), it won’t work,” he said.

Kombe said this in reaction to some Kasama residents who had criticised the council for allegedly abusing public funds at will as highlighted in the audit report of the Ministry of Local Government and Housing for the period January to December, 2009.

Kombe said that nothing would happen to Kasama Municipal Council even if people complained about the abuse of resources at the local authority because the audit report was still under consideration by the councillors.

He said the so-called alleged theft of public funds by council management and staff could not be used as a basis to investigate the council on misappropriation of funds.

Kombe also bragged that law enforcement agencies could not investigate the council based on complaints from local residents.

But former Kasama district commissioner Lieutenant Colonel Steven Chanda has demanded the immediate resignation of Kombe as MMD ward councillor for allegedly insulting the people of Kasama.

Colonel Chanda said it was only right that Kombe resigned on moral grounds for tarnishing the image of the council through his ‘insulting’ utterances.

He said it was unfortunate that Kombe chose to publicly insult the electorate for questioning the mismanagement of affairs at the council.

Colonel Chanda said Kombe as an elected representative, should have respected other people’s divergent views on issues of public interest.

He advised councillors to stop defending the council management and staff over the alleged misuse of public funds but instead wait for further instruction from the Ministry of Local Government and Housing on the outcome of the audit report.

Meanwhile, Kombe has apologised for using vulgar language against Kasama residents while on radio but refused to resign as ward councillor.

Labels: DEMONSTRATION, FRANCIS KOMBE, KASAMA

posted by MrK @ 8:56 AM