PRESIDENT Michael Sata has directed the newly-appointed Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) to address problems in land allocation which he said were responsible for the rampant corruption in councils.
Mr Sata said local government had been ineffective for many years and that it was now the mandate of the new commission to make it effective.
Mr Sata was speaking in Lusaka yesterday at State House when he swore-in chairperson of the commission, Steven Mushinge and his deputy, Charles Mwandila, who is former Mufulira Municipal Council town clerk.
Mr Sata said councils countrywide were faced with numerous challenges such as corruption and other malpractices and that the commission needed to immediately address them.
He said the commission should deal with land allocation which had become one area of concern and mired in corrupt practices.
The members of the commission are Maggie Kapiya, Daubt Phiri and Bernard Simpokolwe, while Chipili Katunasa-Magayane is the commission secretary.
Mr Simpokolwe is former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development in the Frederick Chiluba administration.
The President has also urged the commission to explore ways of making councils self-sustaining instead of depending on Government grants for operations.
“There is so much corruption in the councils particularly in the allocation of land. You don’t have houses. Mr Chiluba sold all the houses. When there were houses, councils survived on those houses but now you don’t have them.
“Find means and ways of making councils survive on their own instead of relying on grants from the Government,” Mr Sata said.
The President warned that he would dissolve the newly-appointed commission the moment it failed to perform.
He said the commission should not limit its operations to Lusaka Province only but expected the members to vigorously tour all councils to establish councils’ operational challenges.
“I will not hesitate to dissolve you. With the minister, I have no problems because I can change her any time but for you, I am going to waste time to swear you in again.
“Tour the whole country, move to rural councils, district councils, city councils and municipal councils and once they see you that’s how they are going to function,” Mr Sata said.
“The Superannuation Fund belongs to all workers. Don’t just sit in your offices in Lusaka or Ndola. Use the money to tour the whole country and see for yourselves what’s happening in the councils.
“Don’t just make transfers from your offices because today we can’t see the impact of the local government. The local government today is dead,” Mr Sata said.
Speaking in an interview with journalists shortly after she witnessed the swearing-in of the commission, Local Government and Housing Minister, Nkandu Luo said she was happy that her Ministry now had a commission.
Professor Luo said the commission had a huge task of addressing challenges in areas of human resource capacity and fostering workers’ positive attitude.
“People report late for duty and these are some areas the commission should immediately address including human resource capacity in the ministry,” she said.
[Times of Zambia]
“Don’t just make transfers from your offices because today we can’t see the impact of the local government. The local government today is dead,” Mr Sata said.
Then what is the Hon Minister Luo doing? If the boss says one’s ministry is dead and that particular minister does not resign, then she/he is there for his/her pocket only. Six months down the line Pro. Luo you have failed the president, then you should resign.
If looks could kill…
… but the coucil has been run by PF all this time, right?
And controlled by MMD which was busy frastration the councillors efforts.
Please start with Chililabombwe Council where councillors and admin employees have allocated themselves several plots each at the Kasumbalesa Border and along the Congo road. The former Town Clerk still uses council vehicles and other services. To get a plot here in Chililabombwe you need to oil some people.
Ba Sata , Leave Chiluba to rest in peace alone,its lease my family benefited a house cheaply and has helped us survive. Its unZambian to blame and criticize the dead.That is why you are president…..Pls leave the Great Democrat and Professional Chiluba alone.
Also Sata was Chiluba’s henchman. FTJ left in 2001. Sata left same time. So It was not FTJ alone who sold the houses.
Anyway, the same process of councils selling houses was taking place in England. It was Thatcher’s idea. the councils in Zambia are facing similar situation in this regards. Good thing is, people in Zambia were empowered. Its a good thing.
My fellow youths, In Mr. Sata’s eyes, everyone is corrupt, what a country. Anyway that’s the change people wanted. Life goes on
chiluba sold the houses build new ones.chiluba distroyed our country
And where was Mr Sata when the houses were being sold? Was he not part of that administration? Some one help me understand this man
Yes Sata was with Chiluba upto the last day of office. Sata can only fool young people who wre not yet born or old enough. Forgive their ignorance.
Chiluba did not destroy the country. Only an ignorant person can say that. Zambia was worse off before Chiluba. Shortages were the order of the day. You couldn’t even have soap, sugar or candle.
I Michael Sata will make sure that I look after the interests of my people who I believe were discriminated against between 2001 and 2011.
Pay the council workers their wages, and give them a living wage. This is how to start rooting out corruption in the councils.
This has come at a right time , the councils are so corrupt especially Chibombo district Council has even gone to the extent of removing records from their registry . They need to be sorted out they are so corrupt.
I don’t know what makes the Prezido think that Old finished Men and Women, are the people that will turn around the Provincial Economies. If this guys are still working now and failed to achieve then. What makes him think they will bring any positive contributions to the Councils. What Zambia needs is a radicle change in the Civil Service with fresh blood not a mix of old filch with new blood they will spoil the new with failed ideas. What did the desolved Civil Service Commission achieve? Nothing to write home about. In short gracefully and speedly replace these so called Directors in these Councils with Managers from the Private Sector and let Council operate as problem solvers with a Business touch to their operations than suckers of Government resources.
I’ll come up with a web site where people will be reporting govt officials and ministers who are not working and corrupt.The site will contain all information including reporting uncomplete projects in the govt.What govt should do is to provide information whereever the money is spent so that people can keep on tracking the progress of every project.Zambians should use IT to help develop the country.The problem is that some of us are now helping other countries coz we were not employed by Zambian govt.It’s like govt doesn’t want software enginners in Zambia.Our CVs are just roting in govt.Anyway,we’ll support them if they start working hard.
Can’t wait to see this site, hey don’t just promise like the PF, please do it otherwise this promise will appear on the same website too.
1. Pay council workers living wages/salaries
2. Employ qualified staff
3. Decentralize (devolution) so that service provision is improved
4. Stop politians and chiefs from negative interference in Council operations
5. Ensure close supervision of staff
6. Restructure and reduce on the blotted work force
Please guys report whereever u feel like something bad is happening.
1.Freedom way is too dirty.2.councils should also put Simba grass at freedom park(Independece avenue) right side when u’re coming from town.That area can look nice if it is well watered.3.Kamwala south should be also considered.Zaoga road is yet to be completed.People need tarred road there.Bwana lubinda please work on this road.We Pf supporters in the area are not happy.U promised us that the road will be tarred this year.We don’t want MPs to let down our president and Party members.We had and still have hope in PF govt.Please work on projects.yo work will determine the outcome of elections in 2016.
By the way, which Council as ever outlined its mandate to the citizenary and how it has performed in the recent past with actions plans laid out and corrective measure well spelt out it is People on its failures,NON!! But go to any Council today, they will tell you the they are in Chambers attending meetings after meeting with Town Clerks traveling everywhere with his Directors in different directions to other Councils and GRZ Departments attending never ending meetings with no proper resolutions from any of these meeting not even circulated resolutions for public consumption. On top of that,the Civil Service Commission appointed which will just shuffles Employees to fuse in old friends and relatives in the Council workforce. Foolish us Zambian,ever learning but never understanding
Fear and discomfort is clearly evident in those men, what with that scary look from their boss!
I wonder if the current cabinet members ever utter a word in their meetings.
Is SATA normal? How can he talk about corruption in Councils when corruption exists right in his backyard: GBM, Nchito, Mmembe, Kabimba. He now has absolutely no credibility to talk about corruption. He is waste of time and illiteracy is actually written all over his face the way he is managing the country right now. Sata is failing to govern this country because of 2 main reasons: congenital dullness, and illiteracy.
corruption is not willing to pay 14bn kwacha. we want it we wont stop talking about it!
Even in UK councils run on grants from government. They cannot generate enough money by themselves. How much more Zambian councils who cant even charge households for refuse collection?
WHAT ABOUT 14 BILLION -IS THAT NOT CORRUPTION. FIRST PUT YOUR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER.
PROBLEMS EVERYWHERE? NO MONEY IN PEOPLES POCKETS?
A country as big as Zambia is fighting for land??? it is so stupid that in the first Zambia cannot look after its people – cannot house them and cannot provide proper shelter.
Overcrowding is bad – it is the major root of most diseases in Zambia . TB, skin diseases, fungal infections etc…
Sort out the land issue and the housing issues. Zambia is still holding on to the houses the colonial people left behind – few private houses have been built since 1964. Schools and hospitals are sore sight in Zambia. Councils build houses – build more houses and keep your jobs. You need help from Europe? I have contacts for companies that are willing to build houses in Zambia – just create websites for your councils and advertise and we shall help you
GIVE THE LAND TO THE PEOPLE