Chingola Mayor Johnson Kangombe has been implicated in the illegal allocation of plots on Kasompe Airstrip land where his council has demolished houses.
Chingola Municipal Council on Saturday morning demolished over 300 structures illegally built on the Kasompe Airstrip, a land on title and belonging to Zambia Civil Aviation Authority.
Chingola Council say it didn’t allocate the land and that structures were erected without planning permission from the Local Authority hence prompting the demolition.
Victims of the demotion have protested by burning Mr. Kangombe’s house and lodge in Chingola saying he allocated the land on Kasompe Airstrip.
Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer Sharon Zulu has confirmed in a statement that Mr. Kangombe has been mentioned by victims of the housing demotion in Kasompe.
“The operation started around 02.00am and went on well though the affected families complained about the Chingola Mayor whom they accused of being the one who sold them the demolished plots,” Ms. Zulu said.
“Following the planned demolishing at Kasompe Air Strip reported to Council sometime in November 2021 by Civil Aviation.A decision through Council Resolutions meetings were made to demolish the encroached structures in the perimeters of the Air Strip .Hence on 19/08/22 a meeting of Stakeholders was held at Council Chambers to plan ahead of the demolishing. It is from these meetings that on 20/08/22 around 02.00am Council officials and State Police stated the long pending demolishing excise which eventually led to the Arson at the Chingola Mayor’s two properties,” she said.
Ms. Zulu continued:”It’s therefore reported that on 20/08/22 between 0600hrs and 0800 hours in Kasompe area, Chingola, His Worship the Mayor JOHNSON KANGOMBE aged 44 reported that unknown Criminals burnt his two properties on two different plots, a Guesthouse, and a servant’s quarter whose plot number all situated in Kasumpe Area . The value of the two destroyed property is not yet ascertained.Brief facts of the matter are that , on 20/08/2022 at about 01:00 hours, Council and State Security had an operation of demolishing houses built on Civil Aviation Authority property at Kasompe Air Strip in Chingola.Fire Brigade managed to quench the fire though by then, the guesthouse had already been burnt, and all the window and property inside destroyed in the . Police too visited the two crime scenes where it was discovered that the fire extensively damaged the whole guesthouse. Investigations since been instituted to identify the ring leaders so that they could be apprehended, and be charged accordingly”
Earlier on Saturday, Chingola Council Assistant Public Relations Manager Evelyn Mulenga had confirmed the demolition in Kasompe.
“The Municipality, through the department of Development Planning issued enforcement notices on 15th February, 2022 for the developers to suspend all works and demolish the structures within a period of 28 days as they were being done without planning permission required under the provisions of section, 49(1) and (2) of the Urban and Regional Planning Act No.3 of 2015 of the laws of Zambia.Despite issuance of the notices and engagement with the developers to stop illegal construction, the developers continued to erect illegal structures,” Ms. Mulenga said.
“Members of the public are hereby warned to consult the local authority and acquire building permission before building structures as the Municipality is mandated by law to administer land on behalf of the Government.Council further reminds that the move to demolish illegal structures is not meant to injure the illegal developers but deter people from constructing structures without council’s approval.Council will therefore not be to blame for demolition if developers do not heed to the local authority’s advice,” she said.
F27 remains untouched… those who have little will have even that little taken away from them.
Pity they didn’t roast Kangombe(cow) but instead burned the property
The way forward for the poor people who bought illegal plots and they are demolished is to do the same to the properties which ever DC or Ward chairman, councillor sanctioned the sale…an eye for an eye.
That Mayor it should be jailed tomorrow.
However, did any airplane failed to land at Kasupe thing?
WHEN IS KAIZER ZULU GOING TO BE ARRESTED FOR BEATING INNOCENT CITIZENS AND MANY CRIMES HE COMITTED?
Those were lies against him
What has Kaizer got to do with this. This crime will not go unpunished
William when are you coming to visit zambia so that I whip you with my pistol and strangle your poor neck with my fat wallet. Fuseke
Investigate the mayor thoroughly, could be a PF DNA. remember that is where lawlessness reigned, but the victims should not have burned his properties, He could have them acquired them in a proper manner, lets avoid an eye for an eye
You think Upnd are different from PF? A proper Upnd chairman Tonga by tribe is now stationed at the Black Mountain….no PF DNA here because he’s been Upnd tribally from the time it was formed
Don’t start with political affiliation. It is just a rotten mindset that our people have na iwe. You even fail to put signs showing people to which town they are driving… and how far they are to destination. Such things. Elo ncekelako and natolafye is still rampant regardless of party affiliation or tribe.
Next should be Forest 27
If the plots were genuinely acquired. With all the relevant documentation and recorded as gazetted land for sale, then the people who built there must be compensated. Government should buy back the properties and offer them alternative land or property to the value of the initial investment.
It’s high time this sort of barbarism came to an end.
For the people who sold the land illegally, they need to face the law. Precedence to hinder would be offenders.
The first thing councillors do upon being elected is to degazette land for plots, advertise and award themselves each more than one plot. I think this could be the case here
What is happening with Area 27, is it that the poor can be dealt with whenever and the rich cannot?
This govt needs to deal with Forest 27 its the elephant in the room …HH7 needs to reverse Lazy Lungu’s decision as it will come back to bite him. If I was UPND top offical which I am not I would advise the President to advise all UPND officals who have properties in that Forest to voluntarily hand it back to LCC.
Dont be mis informed, . At Forest 27,, All procedure was followed , All processes were perfectly compliant . The UPND ministers were aiming to get at SELECTED FELLOW POLTICIANS whom they wanted personal vengeance. Feel free to go to the Council and ministry of lands where all process documents are deposited and filed..
Eight years ago: Upnd president Mr Hakainde Hichilema has the PF government of demolition of in Kitwe and in some parts of the country.
Mr Hichilema says the PF must find a civilized and humane doing things.
Civilization is seen by the way we treat each other. Relief and other human considerations should have prevailed. This is self-induced disaster. It was not necessary to rush to demolishing the structure and we are not in a war to start satanic demolition at 02:00hrs. The opportunity to tell the world that we are caring nation missed. Oh, it is another pain I have endured in this life.
What is the mayor going to say? These people have receipts from the council paid for these plots.