Ex-Chipata mayor urges MMD cadres to leave Syamujaye alone
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Tue 15 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT
FORMER Chipata mayor Sinoya Mwale has said the reasons advanced by some MMD cadres in calling for the removal of Eastern Province permanent secretary Eularia Syamujaye are baseless.
Commenting on MMD cadres' appeal to President Rupiah Banda to fire Syamujaye after they accused her of de-campaigning the ruling party, Mwale, who is also Chipata district MMD vice chairperson, advised the cadres to differentiate between a civil service line and a political line.
"Those who are calling on the President to fire the permanent secretary should know that we have a civil service line and political line. When you talk of a permanent secretary, this is someone who is a professional. Even when inviting people she has to know which line she should invite.
"I don't know why they should be complaining of not being invited because if they had been invited, they would have differed among themselves, so the best thing was not to invite them because they would have brought confusion. We (MMD) have a scenario where we have two chairmen, two secretaries, so do they expect to be invited?" Mwale asked.
He said it was sad that the cadres were even claiming that they were not invited to the Independence Day celebrations.
"You know people (MMD leaders) who are at provincial level, we were with them there. Personally I was not invited but I was there at the Independence Day celebrations and I was happy that the party was represented by some of the provincial leaders even at the occasion to witness the arrival of the first train bringing ballast using the Chipata-Mchinji railway line. MMD and some of the opposition leaders were there," Mwale said.
He urged the cadres to leave Syamujaye alone because she was executing her duties well.
"As far as I’m concerned she has done the best and she deserves to be supported. A PS is not a politician so if they (cadres) have grievances, they have to approach the minister’s office so that they sort out these difficulties. And if they are saying they want to meet the PS they will meet the PS on what capacity?" he asked.
Mwale said MMD should put its house in order and not heap the blame on Syamujaye.
Labels: CADRES, CHIPATA, EULARIA SYAMUJAYE, MMD, SINOYA MWALE
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MMD not doing well in Chipata – Mwale
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Thu 29 Oct. 2009, 04:00 CAT
CHIPATA district MMD vice- chairperson Sinoya Mwale has said the party is not doing well in the district. In an interview on Monday, Mwale who is former mayor and Kapata ward councillor, said the district executive committee was failing to organise the party.
"The issue is that the party at district level is not moving. The committee cannot organise the people to join the party. We cannot visit the constituencies as the district committee. And to me the way things are moving, we are not going anywhere as a party at district level. If there is no coordination between the district executive committee and the constituency level and like this... to me we don't run the party like that," he said.
Mwale said some district officials go to the constituencies with personal agendas.
"Surely how do we run the party in that way and frankly speaking going by the current situation we are nowhere as a party. So my appeal goes to the provincial executive to move in and control the situation in Chipata district because the situation in the party is not all that okay," he said.
Mwale said he had made several appeals to the district chairman so that they could visit the constituencies and organise the party.
"I think we need to put in quality leadership because some of the leaders do not even deserve their positions. That's why you see that they are just moving like people who are lost. We need leadership at district level and the only people who can do that are those from the provincial executive committee. As far as I understand Chipata district, I personally, who has been in the system for a very long time, we are not doing fine as a party," he said.
Mwale asked district executive committee members who were not ready to serve the party to resign so that serious people could be voted in.
"We need to put in people who will be able to see that MMD goes through in 2011," said Mwale.
Labels: CHIPATA, ELECTIONS, MMD, SINOYA MWALE
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Chipata residents stone mayor’s house over slashing of maize
Written by Christopher Mite in Chipata
Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:02:21 AM
IRATE Chipata residents yesterday stoned Chipata mayor Sinoya Mwale’s house in Kapata compound hours after the council started slashing maize on hill slops.
Mwale, who confirmed the incident in an interview, said he was not at home when the people stoned his house.
“I had gone to the farm but I have just heard that some people have stoned my house but I have not yet been there. I have also been advised by police not to go to Kapata but at the moment, police are at my house to control the situation,” he said.
Mwale said the matter had already been reported to Chipata police.
“As I am talking to you now, my wife has gone to police to record a statement because you know, on issues such as this one, the law must always take its course,” he said.
Mwale said according to the reports he was receiving, the people had damaged some windowpanes.
Asked to confirm whether the residents had stoned his house because the council had started slashing maize on hill slops, Mwale said he was also thinking in the same lines.
He said the issue of slashing maize from hill slops had become political.
“A lot of people have welcomed this idea but most of those that are against it are being incited by politicians,” said Mwale.
When contacted for comment acting Chipata municipal council town clerk Noel Muchimba could not comment on the matter.
The local authority started the exercise of slashing maize from hill slops in Nabvutika area.
Earlier in the morning, a team of council and state police officers swung into action and slashed maize that has been cultivated on hill slops in Nabvutika.
According to ZANIS, the council, with the protection of state police, moved into the area as early as 07:00 hours to slash the maize.
Eyewitnesses said there was resistance from field owners which forced police to start firing tear gas canisters to disperse them.
Some affected farmers who stormed the district commissioner’s office carrying maize stalks pleaded with the local authority to stop slashing the maize, claiming that they had already applied fertiliser in their fields.
The residents, who openly wept as they waited to seek audience with the district commissioner Nicholas Banda, said the council should have warned them not to cultivate on hill slops last year in August, adding that the most affected persons were looking after vulnerable people.
One of the residents, Violet Mwale, said a lot of vulnerable people were being helped through the same cultivation of maize and that the department of social welfare alone could not manage to help needy people in society.
Labels: CHIPATA, MAIZE, RIOTS, SINOYA MWALE
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Chipata mayor bemoans council’s service delivery
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Thursday September 11, 2008 [04:00]
CHIPATA mayor Sinoya Mwale has said he is not impressed with service delivery at Chipata Municipal Council. In a recent interview, Mwale who is also Kapata ward MMD councillor, said
lack of manpower had crippled the operations of the council."There is
no department which has enough manpower, frankly speaking
a council can't run without engineers, planners and without people in the health department," Mwale said.
He appealed to Vice-President Rupiah Banda and local government minister Sylvia Masebo to ensure that the Local Government Service Commission was in effect.
"If the service commission is not re-introduced as soon as possible, I don't see the council improving; instead it will go backwards again. At the moment, I can say the service delivery is at ten per cent. Now what does that mean? Mwale asked.
He said the council could not just be paying salaries to its workers because service delivery was also important to each institution.
Asked whether the shortage of staff was a result of suspensions of some senior staff that were appearing in Chipata magistrates’ court for alleged misappropriation of funds meant for certain projects, Mwale said the shortage of staff had nothing to do with the suspensions.
Labels: CHIPATA, CHIPATA MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, MAYOR, SINOYA MWALE
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