Teta’s role in disbursing Solwezi land revenue raises suspicion
Written by Margaret Habbuno, Mwala Kalaluka and Mwila Chansa
Monday, May 11, 2009 11:55:10 PM
THE Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in Solwezi has questioned
local government minister Benny Tetamashimba’s involvement in
the disbursement of land rate payments made to Solwezi Council by Kansanshi Mine. Solwezi Diocese CCJP coordinator Frederick Nabanda charged in an interview that Tetamashimba’s role in the disbursement of the rate payments from Kansanshi Copper Mine without consulting Solwezi Municipal Council was suspicious.
Nabanda, whose organisation falls under the ambit of Caritas Zambia, said Tetamashimba, who is also Solwezi Central MMD member of parliament, convened a meeting in Lusaka, which was attended by deputy parliamentary whip Humphrey Mwanza, commerce deputy minister Richard Taima and the Solwezi Mayor where they discussed how the K2.5 billion rate payment would be expended.
He said the approach taken by Tetamashimba over the money was causing concern among council officials in Solwezi, as they were aware of the payment.
“As Caritas, our core duty is to ensure that we monitor the expenditure of the Council so that the money is used in the right channel. On March, 9, 2009 in Lusaka, Tetamashimba held a meeting without informing us the people from Solwezi. Why should a minister budget for the Municipal Council?”Nabanda asked.
He said some stakeholders in Solwezi were not happy with the way Tetamashimba was running the affairs of municipal council.
“The current town clerk for Solwezi Mr Zya, his contract ended and the minister decided to reinstate his contact and his defence was that he wanted him to account for the K400, 000,000 but up to now nothing has been done,” Nabanda said.
He said it was unfortunate that Tetamashimba was running the council as though it was a kantemba.
“He is pushing his way through and he doesn’t even allow the Council to make their decision,” he said.
Nabanda said Tetamashimba should have sought permission from the local authority before proceeding with the meeting.
Meanwhile, Patriotic Front (PF) Chitimukulu ward councilor Macdonald Mulongoti has observed that the delay in installing mayors on the Copperbelt will further hamper development in the province.
Mulongoti accused Tetamashimba of causing development inertia due to his alleged tendency of treating the ministry like “a personal-to-holder thing”.
“The President should find another minister and not Tetamashimba. Councils on the Copperbelt are non functional and this is not good because mayors can’t carry out functions before they are installed,” he said.
Mulongoti said it was sad that after having delayed the mayoral elections unnecessarily, Tetamashimba was now delaying the installation of the elected mayors.
“Only Kalulushi and Mufulira mayors have been installed so one wonders when the others will be installed,” said Mulongoti.
Tetamashimba could however not comment on the two issues as his mobile phone was unreachable by press time.
Labels: BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, CCJP, FREDERICK NABANDA, KANSANSHI MINING PLC, SOLWEZI COUNCIL
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BRE urges peace before, after elections
By Mwala Kalaluka in Nalolo
Monday October 06, 2008 [04:00]
THE Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) in Senanga District has said the peaceful environment that has existed in the country for the past 44 years should not be lost during the October 30 presidential poll.
And the Catholic Commission for Justice , and Peace (CCJDP) in Mongu has urged its members not to be swayed by politicians that bribe them with all sorts of items in the run-up to the October 30 poll.
Speaking when the Patriotic Front (PF) vice-president Guy Scott called on her, Litunga-la-Mboela Makwili said that politicians should ensure that even as they campaign for the presidency, the peace that has prevailed since independence should be maintained.
She said that her royal establishment did not want to see an eruption of political violence before and after the October 30 election.
She said so far the people in her area had heard from two of the presidential aspirants – the MMD’s Rupiah Banda and PF’s Guy Scott, and that they were now waiting to hear from the UPND presidential hopeful, Hakainde Hichilema.
Litunga-la-Mboela Makwili, whose 52-year reign has outlasted three presidents, said it was up to the people to choose whom they wanted to be their fourth Republican president.
Meanwhile, the United Liberal Party (ULP) members in Nalolo Constituency have distanced themselves from their leader Sakwiba Sikota’s support for the MMD presidential hopeful, Rupiah Banda.
During a meeting with area member of parliament Inonge Wina in Muyo, the party members resolved to support PF’s candidate Michael Sata.
After the meeting, some ULP members besieged PF officials to demand portraits of Sata.
And Our Lady of Lourdes CCJDP Catholic team leader Chrispin Kaseleka, said that the people should question the candidates on what they are going do for them when they are voted into power.
He said there were so many issues which needed to be addressed urgently and urged the electorate not to be compromised by offers of beer or T-shirts as they cast their votes.
He said this during Mass yesterday.
Labels: BAROTSE ROYAL ESTABLISHMENT, CCJP
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Treasury reclaims N/Western’s poverty reduction funds
By Mulimbi Mulaliki in Solwezi
Saturday November 03, 2007 [03:00]
CATHOLIC Commiss-ion for Justice and Peace (CCJP) Caritas Solwezi Diocese Coordinator Frederick Nabanda has expressed concern over the failure by the North Western Province administration to utilise K5 billion poverty reduction funds. The treasury has since withdrawn the funds. Nabanda said the K5 billion had been lying idle in commercial banks since it was sent to the province early this year after the budget was approved by Parliament .
“This money was supposed to be utilised by strategic ministries like health, agriculture, education to improve social infrastructure as a way of reducing poverty and, unfortunately, up to October this year, not even a ngwee has been spent,” Nabanda said.
Nabanda disclosed that the treasury had since reclaimed the K5 billion because it had not been put to use.
“What is really causing concern is that the province has no capacity to work towards reducing poverty. They have failed to use the money, indicating that there is no poverty in the province which I see clearly but this shows that they have no interest of people,” he said.
Nabanda explained that social infrastructure in the province was in a state of disrepair be it with schools, feeder roads and health centres in rural areas, which were damaged by heavy rains last year.
He said such infrastructure had not been worked on, and wondered as why the provincial administration could not release the money to address the problems.
“I took up the matter with North Western Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Nkolola Hazemba to register my displeasure and to inquire as to the reason why they could not utilise the K5 billion,” he said.
Nabanda explained that what he discovered was that there was no commitment on the part of civil servants and the tender committee never sat to award tenders.
“Do we expect to get more funding next year as a province for poverty reduction when we have failed to utilise K5 billion? Having failed to use the money clearly indicates that the State can’t give us funds for the same purpose of reducing poverty and if they do they will give us much less (amounts),” he said.
Nabanda urged the incoming permanent secretary Jaston Mulando to liaise with Secretary to the Treasury Evans Chibiliti to send the money back so that it could be used.
“As a leader who is there to ensure that there is social justice, this is clear injustice because people have been denied social infrastructure and I demand that the culprits are brought to book,” Nabanda said.
Labels: CARITAS, CCJP, NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE, PRFs
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