Local Government Minister Professor Nkandu Luo says she will seek audience with the Catholic Bishop of Chipata,George Lungu to discuss the interest of Caritas in the suspension of Town Clerk Golden Banda.
Professor Luo observed that Caritas Chipata does not want to allow investigations into the matter to be concluded before making statements.She stated that government appreciates the role that the Catholic Church plays in speaking for the poor and on matters of good governance but wondered why Caritas Chipata has taken particular interest in the matter concerning the suspended Town Clerk when Council administrators in other provinces have also been suspended.
She was speaking to the press when she paid a courtesy call on Eastern province Minister Charles Banda in Chipata yesterday.
“It is interesting that Caritas is interested in this particular matter when other council administrators in other provinces are also being investigated and people are waiting for the completion of the investigations, it raises more questions,” she said.
Professor Luo also noted that even cadres and councillors have tried to challenge government’s decision when the investigations have not yet been concluded.
And asked if she had received technical advice on the matter as alleged by Caritas Chipata, Professor Luo said there is no guarantee that advice should be taken.
“I will not take wrong advice, the evidence that the suspended Town Clerk and the Mayor carried K20 and K21 Million respectively on a sponsored trip contrary to government regulations, is there,” she said.
The Minister however noted that she has not yet received the advice as alleged by Caritas Chipata but stressed that she will not take it based on the evidence against the two council administrators.
Caritas Chipata yesterday issued a press statement saying Town Clerk Golden Banda and his financial director Julius Banda were cleared of the allegations by Local Government administrators on the matters concerning payment of full subsistence allowances for official trips to Cameroon.
According to Caritas Chipata Governance and Programs Coordinator John Zulu, his organization has information that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Housing wrote to Professor Luo to consider recommendations by the director in the same ministry to lift the suspension of the duo.
He stated that this was done through a letter under file MLGH/101/16/8 dated 24th January, 2012 by the Permanent Secretary.
Caritas Chipata is also demanding that Professor Luo should publish the mentioned letters in the media for people to judge whether she followed technical advice from officials in her ministry.
[Zanis]
Nkandu Luo should be allowed to do her duties without interferance from anyone,not even the Catholic Bishops. She means well with whatever she is trying to do and deserves a chance to carry out her work. She tried to clean the cities but someone higher than her interfered,this is unacceptable.Councils especially the Slowezi ones have embezzled so much and should be made to account for everything Kwacha they have diverted.
She should go and do that in Kasama….. Here in Chipata we dont allow bemba nonsense. These guys have done nothing wrong and she can not push her PF weight here . . . .
Ah!
Are drunkard, what are you saying
This Tasintha needs more Jaribu . . .. stupid bittch. Technical advise must be acted upon !
Plz be warned – dont play with Ngonis you will burn your fingers.
Wait and see that position will soon go to a Bwalya, see what happened in Siavonga. Records are there for all to see, what this govt is up to.
Kandu Luo has never been a good administrator. Everywhere she goes there are conflicts. In ministry of health she used to visit hospitals at night to ridicule nurses who would dose while on duty.How do someone expect a human being who is working continuously for seven days at night not to dose. Being given a ministry again to run again is asking too much from her.Until recently when she was appointed as minister of local government nobody was willing to employ her apart from her Tasintha NGO.She is too emotinal. Everyone has been wondering why she was appointed as a minister again.
Keep working Madam, Zambians like easy money but no work.
Clueless Cluo is a LIAR. Let her publish these letters. All investigations were concluded some as early as November 2012. Clueless has been advised by her Permanent Secretary, Local Government Service Commission, MPs, PF Mayors, PF Provincial cadres and others have spoken to her to reinstate some of the suspended Council Administrators. She has annoyed all of them by being rude and refusing their advice. She is a nuisance as Minister of Local Government. She was a MMD Minister until thrown out by Late Mwanawasa. Such lack of balance and pettiness is good for Local Government. Let her be transferred.
Ministers must concentrate on policy formulation and ensuring long term goals are realised. Instead, she is involved in micro-managing the department. She must look at policies to ensure that abuse of resources stops across the department. Even as she takes keen interest in this case, others are busy abusing government resources. She could look at strengthening financial systems. May be computerised financial systems might help.
Wait for mcs to move in!dont complain about cotholics cos their same critisim brot u in power!they must contnu,kip it up caritas..
tugiligili woman
Title of article misleading. She has conflict with Caritas Chipata and not with the Bishop of Chipata Catholic Diocese. She wants the latter to intervene.
It seems most of the Cabinet ministers have now taken over the role of permanent secretaries. This PF government is really serious with employing PF cadres and its being done without shame.
@5 and 12, you guys are so right. Professor luo is always confrontational, and finds it very difficult to work with fellow women.
Perm secs seem to be asleep.
She got her tail burned in Chipata. She is an ugly liar. She failed at running Ministry of Health which was relived and grateful that she was posted to poor Ministry of Local Government. The Church leaders know her character well and obviously don’t respect her. let Masebo be reappointed into Local Government.
mmmm ,headline!!! ( Nkandu Luo at loggerheads with Catholic Bishop) I thought i m going to read something like Bishop Lungu said. Ba Lt naimwe headline no connection with the story lol
When Prof Luo fell out of favour with Levy, few people mourned her departure from politics. Its ok to be educated, proudly so. But its not ok to make others feel they are uneducated and to be arrogant. Learning from our past mistakes is education too, Prof Luo.
Please allow the minister to do her job, if you want just join politics so that you can do what she is not doing , why do the rich dont want the poor to progress, the church shouldnt deffend the rich at the expence of the suffering poor majority poor