Senior Buildings Inspector suspended for illegal sale of plots

Senior Buildings Inspector suspended for illegal sale of plots

 

Mazabuka, July 7, ZANIS —–Authorities at Mazabuka Municipal Council have with immediate effect suspended a Senior Buildings Inspector on allegations of illegal allocation and sale of residential plots in the Township.

 

Town Clerk David Kabanda revealed to ZANIS in Mazabuka today that Stephen Sakala a Senior Buildings Inspector has been put on suspension to pave way for investigations into his alleged conduct with regards to the illegal allocation and selling of plots in the area.

 

Mr Kabanda who could not give a specific period for the suspension however said Mr Sakala will only return for wok once the investigations are concluded and if found not to have committed the said offences.

 

The sources disclosed that Mr Sakala with other senior members of staff who have since been transferred from Mazabuka to other local authorities by the Local Government Service Commission had been selling plots to members of the public without the authority from the council. 

 

Mr Kabanda further stated that Sakala has since been instructed to exculpate himself of the allegations that have been levelled against him.

 

He said the local authority through its disciplinary committee will carry out its investigations summon people that were sold the plots by Mr Sakala.

 

And District Commissioner Eugene Munyama said the conduct of the council in its allocation and sale of plots has always raised eye blows from members of the community.

 

Mr Munyama said his office has in the recent past received numerous complaints from members of the public that have come to complain about lack of transparency in the selling process.

 

Mazabuka District Patriotic Front Chairperson Gift Hanziba who welcomed the suspension said the party in the area has now been vindicated by the move to suspend one of the senior members of staff saying some officials at the council are corrupt and involved themselves in illegal businesses.

 

Mr Hanziba said there is however need for thorough investigations into the scam, calling on relevant authorities to extend the investigations to those that were involved and have been transferred to other councils.

 

“We want authorities to investigate and bring to book all those officers that were involved in the illegal selling of plots and are now working in other councils after they were transferred by the commission because there has been so much corruption taking place at the Municipal council especially when it comes to issues to do with plots,” charged Mr Hanziba.

 

And NAREP district Chairperson Chris – Perkins Liwoyo said he stands ready to adduce evidence of cases in which the local authority has involved itself in dubious allocation of plots.

 

Mr Liwoyo cited Ndeke Compound as being one area complaints have arisen from people where the council has allocated plots on single land to more than one individual.