Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people in Eastern Province has criticized Luangeni Parliamentary Constituency professional Assistant, Donald Phiri ,for not communicating with people from the area.
Chief Mpezeni accused Mr Phiri of not delivering the service he was employed for as expected of his office of noting their concerns in the constituency.
He was speaking when area Member of Parliament, Angela Cifire, paid a courtesy call on him at his Ephendukeni Palace in Chipata and also to offer condolences to the chief after the demise of his wife, the Inkosikazi, Rozinyanga Jere, who died on April 7, and buried on April 10, 2009.
The traditional ruler said the parliamentary office for Luangeni Constituency was supposed to be situated at Feni, not in Chipata where people had to use vehicles to access it.
“You are serving people of Luangeni and for your office accommodation to be in Chipata does not serve that purpose. You are just wasting government resources paying you. Money should be paid to people that are working for the people, like me,” he noted.
The chief advised that the office should move to Feni area where its presence will be felt and serve the people that it was intended for.
But when asked, Mr Phiri said his role was to facilitate activities in the constituency, adding that the intentions were already there to move the office to Feni in Luangeni constituency.
Mr Phiri said the National Assembly would soon release funds to rehabilitate a council building which was earlier offered at K500,000 as monthly rentals but after reasoning with the local authority the figure was reduced to K200,000.
He said the council building would be occupied when the parliament releases funds for rehabilitation as the building was in bad state.
He said people were accessing his office and had a register in place for people to record whatever concerns they had from the constituency.
And in a separate interview Ms Cifire said once funds for rehabilitation were made available the constituency office would be worked on, adding that Mr Phiri would move to Feni where a council block was situated.
“National Assembly is aware of the building in Nsingo ward, and will facilitate the rehabilitation of the building though it was not centrally located, but Mr Phiri will move to the building,” she added.
Earlier Ms Cifire disclosed that she was in the area to monitor progress on the appeal she made last year in August for people to form committees to look at the plight of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs).
Speaking during a courtesy call she paid on Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Eularia Syamujaye, Ms Cifire said people from her constituency were requested to form committees to coordinate the issues concerning OVCs.
And Mrs Syamujaye said key projects of Chipata/Chadiza and Chadiza/Vubwi roads would be completed this year using Rural Roads Unit ( RRU) and Road Development Agency (RDA) funds released towards the projects.
“We had intentions for the two roads to be tarred but funds were not enough though the works expected to be done by the two agencies would ensure the roads last long,” she added.
ZANIS/ENDS/DM/EB
