By Miles Bwalya Sampa,
CEREMONIAL VS. ELECTED MAYORS
I generally refer to the Mayors prior to 2016 as the Chikwelete Mayors. Robert Chikwelete was the LCC Mayor in 2011 when we assumed power with PF from the almighty MMD. I thought he was theatrical and more so that he was fighting to be the Lusaka District PF Chairman but he found himself in a ‘wrong’ campaign camp and was recognised as such at one public event in Chawama by the late President Michael C. Sata but then rebuked against the position at the next Lusaka public event next day or two.
I still visually see him sweating at the event-lol. That’s why you see me wash my hands out of all party political positions as I remain the Mayor of Lusaka.Chikwelete, Mposha, Nawa, Chilato, Mulenga Sata, Daniel Chisenga etc were all under the old Constitution and very ceremonial in nature.
They waited for state functions to arrive with a gong or chain around their necks, sit, listen to the speech by the guest of honour, eat and then drive back in the K1 flagged car to Civic centre office. After collecting their seating allowances, they would not even bother to check what the Town Clerk or LCC Directors have been upto or indeed whether they showed up for work or not. These Mayors were elected as Councillors in one of the 33 Wards of Lusaka and then picked as a Mayor by the other 32 Councilors in a round table ‘mock’ ballot.
By default of design, the Chikwelete Mayors reporting lines were lopsided. These Mayors used to report directly to LCC Management who would also report and salute on a daily basis to LCC Markets and Bus stops Managers.
Post 2016 and in the current Zambian Constitution, Mayors are elected directly by the People of Lusaka from all the 7 Constituencies namely Matero, Mandevu, kabwata,Lusaka Central, Kanyama, Chawama and Munali. The Roles of Mayors are also enshrined inside the Constitution.
Thus far Lusaka City Council has only had two elected Mayors in the history of Zambia. These are the late His Worship Wilson Kalumba (MHSRIEP) and the incumbent Miles Bwalya Sampa.
Reporting lines since and now should be and is Market & Bus stop managers to LCC Management and to the Mayor’s office. These turn of constitutional events in reporting lines at LCC remains a challenge evidently given a majority are still in denial and resisting the inevitable constitutional requirement. Ever wondered why to just fire one indisciplined market manager is near impossible and can even bring to a halt entire day operations at the Ministry of Local Government just to listen and attend the cries of one market manager out of about 50 in the City just to baby his or her ‘resistance to change’ in constitutional reporting lines changes at LCC.
According to the 2016 amended Constitutional of Zambian Article 154 (1), the Functions of a Mayor are;
DUTIES OF A MAYOR:
- (i) SUPERINTENDS OVER POLICY MAKING;
- (ii) ENSURES THE PREPARATION OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN;
- (iii) ENSURES THE PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT PLANS;
- (iv) ENSURES THE DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES;
- (v) ENSURES THE DEVELOPMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ROBUST PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM;
- (vi) PROMOTES CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION;
- (vii) PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL MEETINGS AND CEREMONIAL FUNCTIONS.
FUNSO or KWESHON from me the underwriter:
- Under (ii), how can I IMPLEMENT realisation of finances for LCC if I can’t visit source of LCC funds like Factories, Restaurants and Barbershops?
- Under (v), how can I IMPLEMENT a ROBUST PEFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM if LCC MANAGEMNENT is told and believes that they don’t report to me? Apparently they report directly to the Local Government Ministry and the Local Government Commission.
- Under (vi), How can I ENGAGE and PARTICIPATE with CITIZENS if a former Minister of mine issued a circular last year to gag my office and the same circular re-issued this week?
So how will I interact with City residents under (iv) above if I can’t speak on behalf of LCC?
The wise (so they think) from the East have a saying; KUFUNSA SIKULAKWA.
Tafunsa pela.
Mayor of Lusaka,
Thursday 4th June 2020.
Iyo funso mufunseko ba Minister Of Local Government
This fellow already apologised so he should just shut up. Next time he is challenged he should show some courage, and more importantly he must read and understand his scope of authority.
As for the rest of us mere mortals, do we understand what the constitution says about freedom of speech and expression, before some lumpen minister demands an apology from us? Read now not after your apology.
As far as how you dealt with the Chinese Restaurant and Barber shop, I believe you performed your duties effectively and within the remits of the job description. You should not have apologised for doing the right thing.
On the other hand, the Chairman of the Association of Chinese people in Zambia, in his protest to you over what he perceived to be unfair treatment of Chinese business owners, sought to insult you and all black people by uttering the word ‘ni**er’.
Although it’s within everyone’s right to protest, he, however, was wrong to resort to insults. This is not acceptable!
For this reason, there should be a public apology from the Chairman of the Association of Chinese people in Zambia, for using the word ni**er to you in public.
In any case,…
It appears he has some balls, despote him apologising earlier.
Continued..
…in any case, its not as though, Chinese people are innocent and therefore being unfairly targeted. Evidence to date, would suggest widespread maltreatment of Zambian employees by their Chinese employers – i cite the latest case of more ‘locked-in’ employees at a Chinese plastic factory!
You are a disappointment, why did you apologise when you knew you were right? Stand for the right, thing no matter the cost. I hope you have learnt your lesson. Now go back and tell the Minister, Lusaka is your purview, you call the shots and not the Minister.
Why did you apologize in the first place when you knew that you are right?
To think this guy wanted to be president !
No wonder sata never made him a minister. The problems of lusaka are the same whether broke like chikwelete or long as miles. Just come up with a business plan and stop asking silly questions!
Is Miles so DULL to realise that he his in the wrong camp or its just a matter of survival?????
The Mayor all your duties are functional, meaning that you need to put up a robust team that will perform all those functions, yours is to request, receive and analyze reports from your officers!! Put up a team, such that even if you are not there, the system will be working,,, for this you’ll be greatly missed Mayor….
Man up man n stop giving petty apologies when you’re in the right.
Bane, let politics be a service not an income generation venture for self enrichment.
The reason we make wrong choice on voting days. People have realized that if you want to be rich quicker, join politics and that is wrong.
Miles Sampa feared for his income disruption had not apologized. The apology was not based on moral and principles the office he holds.
He could have stood and defended what he had started.
This is the only reason why African politics and Zambia in particular differs with rest of the world.
Morals and principles have been thrown in lake kariba the reason we have load shedding.
We have to change rhe mindset and work for the benefit of people and Zambia Will prosper again.
Meanwhile PF must go!
As a leader, sometimes you have to make difficult and controversial decisions that are in the interest of the people. It is called pragmatism. It is the opposite of bureaucracy. Africans will never progress if they are staunch bureacrats who turn the other cheek and apologize for standing up for their rights.
Miles Sampa acted like a true leader should. Someone had to do it! He was a hero when he stood up to defending the poor and helpless class of citizens in Zambia. Heroes don’t apologize. They are consistent. They kick the bad guys out on principle. Even if costs them their popularity.
In every society there are rules and laws that every citizen irrespective of stature must abide by. In as much as we have heard of allegations of mistreatment of Africans in China, it does not make us any better if we return the hate. Hate breeds more hate which in the end only leads to death on both sides. We are civilised humans who can sit down with people and reason with them rather than making arbitrary decisions. This is where my brother miles went wrong and this was the counsel giving by our able minister. Kz
Have you paid child maintenance for this month?
Boss you have bigger issues to sort out than visiting barber shops and restaurants. Leave that too your juniors. Meanwhile can you work on cleaning the capital city and control the vendors, bus stations etc.
Well, Miles, asking a question is never wrong but not if it’s asked after an event.
We all know what makes ask these questions, your unfortunate escapades in the last few weeks have forced you to become introspective wisely, as seeking wisdom after an experience is imperative for real growth. As political scientists would likely tell you…… populism as a theory is idealistic, but it does not necessarily play well in a world of rules and procedures. Your mistake with the Chinese …Dr. situation, is that you read the mood of the populace and you created a them against their elite group attitude. You then got on a white horse and charged out to bring down the elite thereby ,’single handedly SAVING’ the little people. YOU FORGOT PROCEDURES. You should have let the correct…
I can see him apologising again for this essay.
Disaster!!!
Well, Miles, asking a question is never wrong but not if it’s asked after an event.
Your mistake with the Chinese …er….situation, is that you read the mood of the populace and you created a them against their elite group attitude. You then got on a white horse and charged out to bring down the elite thereby ,’single handedly SAVING’ the little people. YOU FORGOT PROCEDURES. You should have let the correct department do the visiting and rescinding of licencing.
This guy is coward..why is he writing articles to us about his roleand not Lazy Lungu and his ministers…as matter of fact some of us were against a PF mayor being voted in because we knew nothing would done and he would under some dull minister’s shoe. If you were a principled man you would have refused to apologise…
And what laughable is this silly chap has 25 advisers on his table.
He will apologize again tomorrow.
Miles is smart. He is playing his cards close to his chest. Watch the chess game fellas. Watch!!! I still want to believe that apology was a ceding of a bishop to protect the Queen…
Aba bena Ci colour sana .
Nine Chale- still beating about the bush..surely what have posted there?
Whatever we think and say about President Lumgu, this is the kind of mindset among Zambia officials the was lamenting about in his now infamous secret recording circulating on YouTube. Despite the Constitutional protections extended to these offices (like Mayor), people occupying them still want to act and behave as though they are subservient to some entity above them. Look at what goes on at ACC, DEC, extra. These are Constitutionally protected offices whose responsibilities and roles are clearly spelled out in the Constitution, yet they behave like the President has to give instructions before they can do anything. If I am not mistaken, even the office of the Auditor General is an independent entity which the President or Minister has no control over whatsoever. But you wouldn’t know…
Continue….
it by the way these constitutional offices/officers behave.
Even worse is the office of the City Mayor. An office that gets its mandate directly from its citizens through elections. Yet City Mayors in Zambia are but ceremonial in both actions and authority. Here we are listening to a Mayor complain about the usurping of his authority by cabinet Ministers who equally don’t seem to understand their Constitutional roles. Mayor Sampa, yours is an elected office, your ultimate boss should be the people of the city of Lusaka. Anybody else should come second and only to fulfill a reporting requirement. And to his credit, this is what President Lunga was complaining about in the recording….Constitutional office holders, with all the protections in the world accorded to them…
Continue….
by the Constitution, just sitting around on their @sees complaining and waiting to be told what to do.
This mentality and mindset is unfortunately deeply ingrained in our government people who run it such that it is going to take work to change it than just the President fussing about it. The moment Govt officials in Zambia start taking their Constitutional mandates to heart and be proud about it is the time things will start changing for the better in our country. Since then, the saga of Govt officials like Mayor Miles Sampa will unfortunately continue.
Sampa is coming back to UPNDC Pact with Kangombe. Watch the space.
I personally think our President’s failures are compounded by most of the people he works with. Mwanawasa had chosen a good team that is why he scored more successes. How can ECL score any form of success with this crop of leaders, coupled with natural disasters? The man left it too long to act because such people should not have been given the mandate to implement the PF manifesto. They are a total let down. I see him being abandoned by these antagonistic guys.
BWANA MAYOR, I SEE YOUR PAIN BUT YOU ARE DOING IT THE OTHER WAY ROUND, YOU SHOULD HAVE TABLED THESE ISSUES BEFORE APOLOGIZING SO THAT AFTER CLARITY HAS BEEN SOUGHT THEN YOU WERE GOING TO BE IN A POSITION TO SEE IF AN APOLOGY WAS NECESSARY OR UNNECESSARY, RIGHT NOW IT IS WATER DOWN THE BRIDGE
I am not sure why people believe in the current crop of leaders in Zambia… the country is being run by Chinese and you expect the likes of Miles Sampa to appease you the commoners?? No, he has to appease the hand that feeds him!! Insala mu zed… Zambia is sold bane!!
Use the same method u used when apologizing.
You’ve been publicly made to swallow your vomitus twice hope we’ll not move to 3 with this tortoise action. Amano mwalikwata nimbwafye by coward too much. Remain a dreamer
This article just shows us there is mega confusion in PF. Sampa and Banda are fighting because as has been usual in Zambian politics the leadership does not want to obey the constitution. They want to obey their own personal whims.
Sampa is not my kind of politician but he has strong points in the argument above. I am sure that Banda is happy with the second republic arrangement that civic center reports to him because it gives him power which he does not want to hand to Sampa. However the public service commission needs to explain the mayor’s role in relation to the public servants. Otherwise this confusion will mean we are paying salaries for people who are not working. Lungu should act quickly if he can act
Lungu never acts. He will be beating about the bush until Sampa resigns again