17 village headmen of Chief Singani’s area in Choma yesterday stormed the office of District Commissioner demanding to know why Town Mayor Mason Chaboya has been expelled from the opposition United Party for National Development(UPND).
The aggrieved headmen who were representing 57 others from the chiefdom also presented a petition to government not to declare Mayo’s Chaboya’s position as ward councilor for Siasikaboole vacant because they have not been furnished with reasons why their subject has been hounded out of the party.
The traditional leaders told Dstrict Commissioner (DC) Laiven Apuleni that they had travelled to the district administration (BOMA) to lodge an official complaint on the alleged victimization of mayor Chaboya who is their subject.
They said they were not interested in a by-election adding that government and the Electoral Commission of Zambia(ECZ) should not declare Mayor Chaboya’s position as ward councilor vacant following his unexplained expulsion from the UPND.
The headmen argued that by-election are not only too costly to government but also distort the way of life of the local people as they divert their attention from their daily economic activities to expending their energy and effort on political campaigns.
They said it was worrying because the UPND leadership has not bothered to explain to them the reasons leading to the expulsion of their subject.
But DC Apuleni advised the headmen that government cannot interfere with the internal wrangles of the UPND.
Mr. Apuleni, however, said there is nothing administratively that stops mayor Chaboya from performing his civic duties until the council and the ECZ declares his position vacant.
The opposition party recently expelled mayor Chaboya from the UPND for allegedly being involved in activities inimical to the UPND.
The party sources in the District confirmed to ZANIS that the mayor was expelled because of openly supporting government policies and programmes.
[ ZANIS ]
Foolish UPND, The Mayor is a civic leader who is non partisan in executing his function. If it is true he was supporting his Govt policies, thats what infact he is supposed to do. he could have been punished only if he was supprting MMD party policies.
He is an MMD sympathiser and spy. He has no place in a UPND Stronghold. Just because it is the opposition that has kicked out a politician, the bye-election will be costly to government! Who are those headmen? its all r.u.b.b.i.s.h
With due respect, the Village Headmen (were they all men?) should have gone to the office of the UPND and not the DC! They are acting as though they were organised by somebody which I strongly suspect. Indeed, we dont want unnecessary by-elections but people should learn to follow their party structures in airing grievances. And, I must say, UPND can never expel somebody without good reason. Please headmen, go to your nearest UPND office and seek guidance, you may be furnished with the reasons for the mayor’s expulsion.
This are John Malambo’s followers alias Chief Mwanachingwala. What do u expect from them. A week ago John Malambo was saying a few moths ago Mazabuka was a bush now it is transformed. So what has RB done to Mazabuka to transform it from a bush within a few months?????
These Village headmen are a bunch of hired praise singers. That is UPND stronghold, nothing no inch of ground relinguished by the UPND meaning MMD has not gained.
Let the speaker call the seat vacant.
it’s been done before and will be done again.
Hey, the headmen may have gone to the wrong office but the truth is UPND erred in expelling the Mayor. All you who are talking except No. 1 are talking from without. Learn to get the facts on the ground before you open your filthy mouths. What is wrong with commending the Government when it has done well? Multipartism is about providing checks and balances. What was wrong with Mayor Chaboya to say that Government had done well to pay farmers their dues in good time so they can plan for the farming season. Every right thinking person knows that the Mayor did nothing wrong at all.