Politicians crook Chadiza job seekers

——-The Patriotic Front (PF) in Chadiza District has distance itself from allegations that its members are going round collecting money, goats and chickens from villagers as an inducement for them to be employed when the Chadiza/Chipata Road construction project begins.

PF Chadiza Constituency Chairman, Christopher Banda, said no cadre from the PF was involved in such an act because the party has no powers to employ anyone on the road construction project apart from the council and the contractor himself.

Mr Banda has since accused the opposition Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) and the United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres of spearheading the act and masquerading to be PF cadres in order to dent the image of the ruling party.

Mr Banda has since warned that anyone who will be found cheating the villagers would be dealt with accordingly by the laws that govern the country.

And Chadiza District Council Chairman, Richard Zimba, has confirmed that the local authority has also received reports of cadres who are swindling villagers over the road construction project.

Mr Zimba, who is also (MMD) Chadiza Ward Councillor, said it was only the local authority and the contractor that will have the mandate to employ people after having signed the contract forms.

The council chairman has since warned people of Chadiza not to be deceived by what he termed as cheap politics.

Yesterday, more than 300 people from the surrounding villages of Chadiza gathered at the Chadiza/Chipata Road junction waiting to be employed after claiming to have paid some inducements to some cadres.

David Phiri of Davite village and Moses Phiri of Chilenga were among the villagers who had gathered at the road junction as early as 04:00 hours with the hope of securing jobs.

David has since expressed worry over the move, adding that those people without money or chickens will not be employed because they have nothing to give out.