Friday, December 28, 2012

'Boozy' councillor in trouble again

'Boozy' councillor in trouble again
By Allan Mulenga
Thu 27 Dec. 2012, 14:00 CAT

THE Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has notified the Lusaka City Council (LCC) over PF councillor Chikutano Nkhoma's alleged involvement in illegal sale of shops and stands for K10 million each in his ward. Nkhoma is the councillor who incurred a US$2,000 beer debt while in Addis Ababa on an exchange programme.

According to a letter dated December 18, 2012 to the Lusaka City Council town clerk Andrew Mwanakulanga signed by ACC chief investigations officer Vincent Machila, Nkhoma, who is Silwizya ward 13 councillor, and four other officials had allegedly been selling shops and stands at Lusaka's Northmead Market without remitting the proceeds to the Lusaka City Council.

"On 13th December 2012, this Commission received a complaint from Northmead Market traders alleging that Mr. Chitukano Nkhoma, councillor for Silwizya Ward 13 and his ward officials namely; Mrs. Rosemary Phiri, Ernest Ndwi, Gertrude Chanda and Limbikani Jere were allegedly selling shops/ stands at Northmead market for K10,000,000 each. It was suspected that the proceeds thereof were not being remitted to Lusaka City Council," read the letter in part.
ACC had also asked for LCC's co-operation over the matter.

"It was felt that this is a matter that your office would be able to handle appropriately and provide redress since this Commission has not instituted investigations. We would be grateful to receive feedback on the action to be taken," read the letter.

Three weeks ago, the LCC slapped a six-month suspension on Nkhoma and ordered him to pay the U$2,000 beer debt he incurred while in Addis Ababa on an exchange programme.

Ethiopian authorities detained him after he failed to settle a US$2,000 (K10 million) alcohol bill he accumulated within four days at Addis Ababa's Sheraton Hotel.

Nkhoma was in Ethiopia in the company of other councillors who were invited by the Addis Ababa City Council on an exchange programme.

Labels: , , , ,


Read more...

posted by MrK @ 4:37 PM 0 Comments

Thursday, December 06, 2012

PF Councillor thought beer in Hotelroom was free

PF Councillor thought beer in Hotelroom was free
By Ernest Chanda
Thu 06 Dec. 2012, 09:20 CAT
By Ernest Chanda

FOREIGN affairs minister Given Lubinda yesterday told Parliament that Lusaka councillor Chikutano Nkhoma who accumulated a US$2,000 beer bill in Ethiopia had admitted that it was his first time to be exposed to a room with beverages in a fridge.

Nkhoma, a councillor from Northmead, accumulated the bill in five days at Addis Ababa's Sheraton Hotel where the Zambian travelling party was accommodated. The Addis Ababa City Council, on an exchange programme, invited councillors from Lusaka City Council about two weeks ago.

Lubinda gave a ministerial statement on the matter after a point of order raised last week by Kalabo UPND member of parliament Chinga Miyutu on what the government would do about Nkhoma's behaviour in Ethiopia.

And responding to a follow-up question from Moomba UPND member of parliament Vitalis Moya on whether Nkhoma knew about the ceiling at the hotel he was accommodated, Lubinda responded: "Chikutano stated that this was his first-ever exposure. And he thought that all of the beers in the fridge were for free, and so he completely consumed them."

Asked by Chembe MMD member of parliament Mwansa Mbulakulima what the government would do to discipline the PF councillor, Lubinda said the issue was not about the party someone belonged to.

He said decisions of such nature were to be adopted by a full council, and that the Lusaka City Council would receive a report from the disciplinary committee today.

"This is not about the party, councillor Chikutano was elected by the people and he was not travelling to Ethiopia as a cadre," said Lubinda.

"This incident has caused huge embarrassment to the Zambian government and has also tarnished the image of the Zambians living in Ethiopia. When we travel abroad, we must conduct ourselves in a manner beyond reproach. For example, we have someone who recently impersonated a minister by driving on a ministerial vehicle."

Labels: , , ,


Read more...

posted by MrK @ 5:02 PM 0 Comments