Thursday, March 28, 2024

PF councillors: More money into their pockets

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PF Leader Michael Sata
By Kennedy Limwanya

PUTTING 90 per cent of people’s money into Patriotic Front (PF) councillors’ pockets is a damning indictment on a political party that premises its election message on putting more money into people’s pockets.

This is a party whose leader, Michael Sata, has, since his first Republican presidential election race in 2001, been promising that if elected into power, he would put more money into people’s pockets.

Today, Zambians know that the pockets Mr Sata has been harping about are PF councillors’ pockets!

This is what Mr Sata probably meant when he declared after the 2006 presidential electoral defeat that his party would run the councils.

Following that year’s defeat in which he was presumably headed for victory, Mr Sata sought to save face by declaring that despite losing the presidential race to incumbent Levy Mwanawasa, the PF’s victory was in getting the majority of local government seats.

The 2006 presidential battering was a rude awakening to the PF leader who had campaigned against the MMD’s Mwanawasa on a populist platform of delivering in 90 days what Zambians had lacked for 42 years.
A tough one, this one was!

In his characteristic bravado, Sata claimed that despite failing to wrest the presidency from Mwanawasa, he had gained control of the management of local government and, with that, the PF would prove within 90 days at local level what it could demonstrate on the national front if handed the Republican presidency.

[pullquote]‘It is difficult to understand how, for instance, out of K124 billion, the Lusaka City Council could spend nearly half of the amount— K55 billion— on personal emoluments, while service provision and infrastructure development receive only K27billion or 22 per cent of the total 2008-2009 budgetary allocation.’[/pullquote]

It has been more than 40 months since the Sata declaration was made and if the performance of PF-controlled councils is to be the basis of deciding who should be in State House in 2011, Zambian people will have no difficulties making their choice.

Mr Sata’s 2006 declaration has since not been recanted, and what every Zambians still believes is that the PF is running most of the councils in the country.
Running councils is one thing, running them effectively is quite another, and running them scandalously is simply unforgivable and a self-inflicted electoral defeat.

So much has changed since 2006— president Mwanawasa has since crossed over to the opposite side of life, Mr Rupiah Banda is the new Zambian President since November 2008, Mr Sata is yet again trying his luck at the slippery Republican presidency and Hakainde Hichilema has changed from a gentleman to an insulting commentator.

While there has been so much change, certain things have remained constant, and these include the scandalous running of councils by the PF.

At his Press briefing held at the Copperbelt Energy Company (CEC) guest house in Kitwe two days ago, President Banda made a startling revelation of how self-interest has become the norm for PF-run local authorities.

The president singled out Lusaka, Kitwe, Ndola, Luanshya and Chingola councils whose levels of expenditure on personal emoluments would scare any sane person and raise serious questions about the PF’s ability to run the country if, by large slices of luck, they were elected into Government.

It is difficult to understand how, for instance, out of K124 billion, the Lusaka City Council could spend nearly half of the amount—K55 billion—on personal emoluments while service provision and infrastructure development receives only K27billion or 22 per cent of the total 2008-2009 budgetary allocation.

In the case of the Chingola council, only two percent (K202 million) of the K13.9 bn allocated in 2008 went towards service provision and infrastructure development while K3.2billion went to personal emoluments.

The scenario is not different in Luanshya, Kitwe and Ndola where 47 per cent, 50 per cent and 70 per cent respectively went towards personal emoluments in the 2008-2009 period.

Ironically, these are the same councillors who have been in the forefront demonising President Banda’s administration.

The president was, therefore, in order when he briefed the nation at his conference that it was unacceptable, or indeed immoral, for the PF councillors in the said councils to put self interest before service provision.

This can only be interpreted as a deliberate ploy, as Mr Banda, observed, to incite the residents to revolt against a government which is doing its very best to improve the citizens’ lives.

It is now clear that instead of selling the party’s policies to the electorate, the PF has found it more convenient to reverse the MMD’s development initiatives by holding back money meant for development and spending it on themselves.

Many are times when residents have complained against poor service provision, and the PF and their United Party for National Development (UPND) partners have been the first to point an accusing finger at the MMD Government.

With the president’s revelation, Zambian people now know the truth and when he calls for accountability, he should not be accused of politicking or victimising opposition parties.

Local authorities, regardless of their political affiliation, are supposed to partner the central government in taking development to the people.

They should never be the ones top stifle development in the name of opposition politics.

If that were the way opposition parties conducted themselves in the United States of America, Europe and other advanced democracies, there could have been no development to write home about.

Mr Banda was, therefore, right when he said at the Kitwe Press briefing that service provision was a shared responsibility between the central government and local authorities who are closer to the people.

It then goes without saying that the income collected from people in the form of taxes, rates and rents should go back to the same people through service provision and infrastructure development.

These monies should never be channelled to political activities as the case now appears with the PF which is denying people development in their respective localities.

It is further appalling to learn that the PF-run councils have conspired to reveres the empowerment policy that was initiated by the Frederick Chiluba administration.

Astronomical taxation has become the in thing in these councils that have devised methods aimed at frustrating house owners and people who bought houses under the empowerment policy.

Even if Mr Sata no longer likes Dr Chiluba, are there no better methods of fighting the man than letting innocent people suffer?

Unrealistic rates, rentals and other taxes can only worse the plight of residents who are already struggling to survive.

The councils are further delaying issuance of title deeds to people who benefited from the empowerment policy.

President Banda’s anger is understandable.

“By delaying to issue title deeds, councils are frustrating Government efforts to empower our people. This is a direct fight with me and my Government, and I will not allow councils to win,” President Banda said.

These PF-run councils collect a lot of money through various taxes including property taxes from mining companies and other entities but this money does not go back to the people.

The councils cannot even work on township roads, claiming that that is the responsibility of central government through the Road Development Agency (RDA), and yet the RDA’s mandate is trunk roads.

The councils collect parking, and market levies but still fail to maintain markets and put decent road markings.

The PF councilors’ sole interest in is to scandalously put more money into their own bottomless pockets and blame President Banda’s administration for the councils’ failures.

This time they have been caught napping, and they just have to explain how they intend to run the country if they can disastrously fail to run councils.

48 COMMENTS

  1. Fellow bloggers,
    have you noticed how Lusaka Times has changed in the last four weeks. They have become a proper MMD publication. You see, they never publish anything against Rupiah. All their news comes from Times, Daily mail, QFM and now Muvi TV. But if there is anything critical to Rupiah on qfm or Muvi, they ignore. Just go back into LT archives for the past four weeks and see if you will find anything negative on Rupiah. I think it is true what we heard that the site was sold to State house and that Senior Citizen is now the editor. Do you see senior citizen comment nowadays?

  2. The idea is to point out the lack of analysis in the article if any and not to complain about party affiliation. some people

  3. Nothing wrong with the allowances to councillors . . . they also have mouths like everybody. Does any fool expect anything to change in Zambia. Its the change of names eg UNIP. UPND. MMD. PF …..what is important is ITS THE SAME OLD FOOLS .. sats. banda. munkobwe. chiluba. etc what a sick land!

  4. What do you expect from a party headed by a convicted criminal swammed with all uneducated cadres who are also criminals. There is Kambwili under arrest. Can anything good come from Kambwili, Willie Nsanda, Jean Kapata, Mumbi Phiri, and Zambian settler of Bangladesh origin turned noise gong Given Lubinda? What can come from a legion of unpatriots who are fiercely opposing national infrastruture development of major economic roads, hospitals, schools and citizen housing empowerment programs? What good can come from such criminals?

  5. LT has become a mouth piece of MMD now. The fool who wrote the article above has not provided us a comparison of how MMD run councils are doing compared to the Pact run councils.
    In any Govt institution, personal emoluments take up a greater share of the budgetary allocation. Has this chap checked how much was allocated in the Yellow Book for emoluments? Is it the Council or Ministry of Lands that issues Title Deeds?
    We are tired of RB’s rumblings and we need him to address problems facing the country and not pre occupying himself with Sata n HH

  6. The analysis is incomplete,please compare the PF concils with those of MMD.Let us start with chipata first.Can someone out there inform us about it’s budget?

  7. #1 They have always been MMD supporters,its sad having a comedian for a President..He thinks he is ImmortalThere is that other man who has no children and he is called a father and he is not even a Catholic father anymore.
    He must be told that his red card nonsense will take him nowhere and will not be allowed,” President Banda said.I am happy that the people of the Copperbelt have refused to join his madness, the so-called Fr Bwalya

  8. I stand to be corrected. My understanding iz the the operationz of all local authouritiez follow the guidelinez outlined and superintended by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing. This PF, UPND, APC or indeed MMD- led councils issue iz neither here nor there, but a mere political slogan to hide the failures of government.

  9. Why is MMD concerned aboutt HH & SATA it is really shame on this villager (RB) peasant farmer from all the way kwa mu gubbusu to come and just start braiing at state house

  10. Surely this article lacks the fravour and the flow that good articles are normally based on.It is clear from the tone of the writer that,this is a one sided article whose aim is to try demonise the opposition, while at the same time glorifying the MMD for the suffering their rule has brought to the majority of the zambians.You can do better kennedy….:-?

  11. man that cec cracked me up. tell sata to step up his game. cuz RB jus tuk a dump on him in his own backyard.lol.lol.:d/

  12. I am sure a detailed analysis of all councils in this country would reveal the mess they are all in. If I had the powers I would not use a council system of governance in this country. As a nation we have all failed to run this system. ALL of us share the blame as a country.

  13. Ohhh Please give us break you whinners, so what if LT is MMD, hmmm, isnt the post anti MMD, go comment there and enjoy yourself in your home ground. Come here and counter the story with comments, not whinning like school girls. Grow up!!! Its not LT’s fault that other media wont allow them to use their stories, so get used to it, it will be worse next year. You know the saying, IF YOU CANT STAND THE HEAT, GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN.

  14. It is strange to see that Sata’s office has a replica of a cobra in the background. This man needs spiritual guidance. A cobra is a symbol of a satanist. Reconcile with the Rev Sampa Bredht so she should pray to the Father Almighty to release you from the spirit of the snake in the name of Jesus Christ. ou should know that what you say about yourself is what you become. We do not want sanists in the name of massions to lead this country. God is surely going to intervene.

  15. The s.t.u.p.i.d useless brainless robots at Times and Daily can write whatever they like because our minds are made up the mad dogs are going next year. I can’t even remember the last time i visited their 19th-centuarysh websites.

  16. It would be interesting to know the expenditure of MMD and UPND councils. The issue here is not whether all councils are the same or not but those who want to assume high office are any different or indeed better than the current regime. If MMD run councils are squandering money in the same way that PF and UPND are, then what change will these two parties bring should they assume power? By Sata’s own admission, PF run councils have failed to deliver on the promises they made in 2006. If that is the case, then why should I vote for PF to assume the presidency? It would be interesting to see if PF cadres agree with Sata himself when he says that PF run councils have failed.

  17. No 1..I agree with you ba LT bali suspect. LT please give us a broad spectrum of issues not a single sided view of things. The side of the fence you are is very evident. I think even commenting on this site is becoming boring. We need you to be objective. Twafweni ba LT your site is becoming a campaign chitenge material.

  18. Failures are they, so they have been funding PF with our monies, thess *****s, they can run the country, small councils they have failed us what more the country it will kasheshe.
    Now the post is zee, cant even write a dote about it, if it was MMD , may lord, they wud have spread it like its the gospel of our lord, tell every one even printing broshures what a shame.
    God bless Zambia n the people of Zambia

  19. The simple question this article also fails to bring out is ,the emoluments being reffered to are they on the councillors themselves or for the council employees.If it is on the councillors only ,then we have a serious problem.If these are on council employees then the councils have a problem in terms of the revenue base, if there main source of financing emoluments are grants from central government.All in all this article is bullshit its more political than analytical,suitable for the likes of times of zambia as a feature story.

  20. Kennedy Limwanya,

    thank you for loosing one more patron, now that i have read it my self; sure this is the last time i am longing on to the LT website . because the next thing LT will start doing is spying on its clients. LT has become nothing less than a state tool. good lack in you business and your Editor should really be proud of you Kennedy.

    ONE disgusted Reader

  21. ‘Delaying to issue title deeds… is a direct fight with me and my Government, and I will not allow councils to win,” President Banda said. Ba President, aint title deeds issued by Government?! You could be fighting your own shadow and government, Mr President!

  22. Come on, where do these figures come from? “The president said”? What is said and what is true are not always the same

  23. I don’t see the point of this article cos it does not provide us any analysis. Where is the evidence that PF-run councils are run worse than all the others or are we just concerned here about the point that Sata erred on his 90 days vision? Why should this be worse than those who rule without any publicised vision? What is the ratio of the national budget compared to emoluments for the few (minority population) GRZ workers.

  24. Impressive stuff indeed. On ““By delaying to issue title deeds, councils are frustrating Government efforts to empower our people. This is a direct fight with me and my Government, and I will not allow councils to win,” President Banda said” I think “The body with the power to make and/or enforce laws for a country, land area, people, or organization” is a better definition over government and there our GRZ is not Mr President RB Banda’s GRZ but a collective government controlled by opposition MPs and Councillors also not the rulling MMD party alone.

    Equally the POST reported “He accused our councils of misusing funds and appointed auditors to carry out an audit. Before we have an audit report, today he is saying they have been stealing funds”“…

  25. Its only in Africa where you want to remove a working government and replace with a bunch of Bemba thieves because you are related to them. Have you not noticed how PF supporters have no reason anymore on why they vote for PF? They just say ‘change’ because Sata has no positives about him that can compare with HH or RB. Shame on tribalists in Zambia!

    Ba zungu they dont behave like this. They always look for better leaders and not worse. They go from grade 7 to grade 12 to BSc to MBA to PhD. In Africa, we go the opposite way then we run away and go looking for jobs at the white mans country!

  26. Interesting article, it would be good to see those against it taking it apart on its merits and the points made as opposed to simply saying its tym for the MMD to go and for the pact to come in. There too much emotion and too little analysis from most bloggers, at this rate we run the risk of jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Can someone please tell us what positive attributes Sata would be able to bring to the presidency and the country. At present all he seems to be compentent at is stand up comedy and criticising without offering any alternatives that are practical

  27. Following my posting 29 I hope Mr President RB Banda will start using words like my Administration since his appointed Cabinet is the current ruling MMD party central governing body that is working with other government officials like MPs from ULP, UPND, PF and others in Paliament which is the legislature wing of our GRZ as well as councillors running or local government systems across the country.

    Should Mr President and his MMD ruling party understand the above, there is potental for us to begin discussion progressive politics of development as opposed to insults bent on undermining the opposition and the opposition political party leaders..

    Have a blessed day all.
    _
    Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unt

  28. #30 MWANGALA
    Please just comment on the topic at hand and leave Bembas alone. It’s not our fault that you were born a Lozi be proud of your tribe otherwise take your inferiority complex some else.

  29. yea..this article sounds as if it was written by a grade 7 pupil – why ? Because it is so chidish with no any analysis of the prvailing inefficience of councils in Zambia. A person who has gone beyond grade 7 knows how to compare and contrast- these are frequent questions in secondary schools. What this grade 7 Kenedy should have done was to compare and contrast the MMD-run councils with the PF-run councils which he did not due to the fact that he is a grade 7. PLEASE KENNEDY DONT PARADE YOUR DULLNESS AND INADEQUATE EDUCATION ON THIS SITE. Shame on you.

  30. UTTER FOOLISHNESS. PUTTING ALL THE BLAME ON THE COUNCILS HEADED BY PF, TYPICAL. MMD IS A JOKE!

  31. But you ant-RB chaps are clueless. The editor is elaborating , to a limited extent what RB is accusing PF run councils of- wasiting cash. It is up to Sata PF/UNDP to come up and counter those allegations. Why are they quiet ?. Do they not read the media or listen to the radio ?. This is what some of us are seeing, only when sata or that deranged ex-priest are talking c.rap do we see the PF.
    #30 mwangala is right to observe that 99% of RB haters on this site are Bemba, they are calling for change of a GRZ that is performing. Why ? Ask your selves

  32. So when Sata said he will run the councils he knew what he was talking about. So Councilors have been funding PF from stolen excalated levies and rates, Well well well well, so much for Sata cares for the poor, more shall be revealed this year. Soon pact will see why Hakainde is better for the Job. #30, I doubt that the bemba tribalists who support Sata will allow this. There is too much at stake for them, and it is these personal interests that drive others to even wish genocide on Zambia, and the death of other leaders. Thanks RB we in the Copperbelt have been putting more money in PF Sata’s pocket. The one who should be the saviour of the poor. Expose these hypocrites, A M A M B A L A(crooks) as RB has said, power hungry and red eyed. Go one RB we are behind you 100%. 0 + 0 = ZER

  33. You guys who hate Bembas should be ashamed. I think you just suffer from inferiority complex. Why should you be obsessed with Bembas evry time? They are just people like you, dont fear them. In fact they are so liberal as they mary any tribe with no strings attached. Just draw yourslves to them not hating them.

  34. LT was supposed to close and all of a sudden they have become MMD mouth piece. Anyway that is what poverty can do.The way forward is to stop reading the publication.

  35. Y do most of you bloggers choose to ignore fact.The story abve lacks alot of imfo.Most of the councils in zed have been in salary,pension and terminal benefits arears.PF used the initiative to sort out thes issues today nyama soya comes on tV YAPING.What a joke.Come 2011 KUNYA BEBELE!

  36. Mr Limwanya is the deputy to Dick Jere at State House (I think) and as such is perfectly suited to answering this question. At his first ever 1st briefing, RB informed the nation that 50% of Govt revenue goes to emoluments. So, why is he complaining about PF expenditure on emoluments when his Govt is no better at this task? I have been greatly grieved by these stats. I would also like the Govt to split expenditure on emoluments between the political appointees right up to the president, and the rest of the civil service. Surely, how do we hope to develop this nation with this kind of extravagance?

  37. The big question is, WHY HAS MMD FAILED TO IMPLEMENT THE DECENTRALISATION POLICY??
    Those close to MMD know that their fear is that Councils will perfome better, especially the City and Municipal Councils which are under the opposition, and that would be a threat to the survival of MMD. This is the perception of those in MMD, its sad to have such shallow minded leaders that can hold back the development of the nation for their own benefit at the expense of the masses.

    Finally, are the MMD controlled Councils doing better than those under the opposition????????????

  38. Mwangala
    Can tribe remarks be more than this? You are ver backwards, Tell the Nation which Bemba man has ever stolen your items. You are forgiven because you dont know what you doing. Some of us are Half cust. One Zambia One Nation. Go to HELL

  39. Senior Citizen
    I now know that you hate PF than anything. Since you belong to very very Educated Party with Min of Inf Shikapwasha and Mangani how are PHD holders, then tell the Nation about the perfomance of Councilors in Chipata and Serenje. Last mounth I was in Serenje, hahahahaaaa vyakulolafye. Love your fellow Zambians ,,come on guys

  40. ” The president was, therefore, in order when he briefed the nation at his conference that it was unacceptable, or indeed immoral, for the PF councillors in the said councils to put self interest before service provision. This can only be interpreted as a deliberate ploy, as Mr Banda, observed, to incite the residents to revolt against a government which is doing its very best to improve the citizens’ lives. ”

    This does not excuse corruption on behalf of anyone. However, to attack the PF for corruption while excusing the MMD’s corruption in showing this writer’s true purpose.

    The MMD is panicking, and rightly so.

    The MMD is doing the best to improve citizens lives? This is the same party that laughed at the people’s need for food and shelter at the NCC? Speaking of…

  41. If indeed PF COUNCILORS can embezzle funds under your gvmt, that is the whole reason you should go, WHY BLAME OPPOSITION WHEN YOU ARE IN POWER! SHAME! MLEYA 2011 BA MBULI IMWE!

  42. Is Mr Lumwanya educated?. Local govt is in any case under the umbrella of the ruling govt. I beg to differ in bigger terms that PF councilors are pocketing people’s money,No. Where is the auditor general? Where is their report on such findings? Are we getting mad with free MMD money being given to us to run our papers. Better if you attacked SATA. Not councilors. Even RB failed to find them guilty. Mind you chipata councils were RB comes from has $52billion unpayed in areas. Now, can you choke your fake story again!!!. Can you find them gulity and prosecute them not mere accusations. why cant you talk about FTJ who has been prooven by the london court only to be overturned by a lower court in the name of zambian court. This is failed misguided journalism done in kamwala university. We…

  43. This is misguided rhetoric. Certain people even spend their company money to vomit rubbish, No. Am not easterner nor northerner but all we need is proper reflection and a story from the media to guide us on our rights to vote. Journalsm is not about this. There is an inclination, there is an allianation in this. Mind you, who know who becomes president next. As a subscriber, am scared to my born whether this is the true refelction of you guys. There is time for everything. Peace.

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