IT will be very difficult to convince the electorate to vote for PF councillors in various councils on the Copperbelt because they are very corrupt with rampant illegal land allocation, says Colonel Panji Kaunda. And Col Panji says the PF government does not care if sending to jail its members named in illegalities will make the party lose general elections.
A week ago, local government minister Steven Kampyongo suspended Ndola, Kitwe and Livingstone city councils and placed them under investigation over rampant illegal land allocation and corruption.
Col Panji, who is the chairperson of a task force constituted to investigate illegal land allocation and the corruption involved, has been on the Copperbelt holding ‘tribunals’ in various councils in the company of the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Prisons Service, senior officers from the Ministry Local Government and Zambia Police. On Friday, a tribunal sat in Kitwe and held closed-door interactions with residents and witnesses who were called to testify over alleged corrupt activities of councillors in illegal land allocations. Speaking to journalists on Friday evening after the sitting, Col Panji said the levels of corruption were extremely alarming and disheartening.
“PF on the Copperbelt is very corrupt; most of the councillors who are members are the ones being mentioned in the illegal land allocations, double allocations, selling of plots illegally and getting money from residents in pretext that they will give them plots,” Col Panji said. Col Panji, who is also home affairs deputy minister, said the situation was extremely disturbing because they were stealing from the poor in the community. He warned that the law would soon catch up with perpetrators. Col Panji said according to the findings of the audit, the majority culprits were councillors and others were PF district and provincial leaders, which would soon face arrest.
“We have enough evidence now at this level. We appeal to the people [from] whom these councillors got money to demand their money back by formally reporting to law enforcement agents so that the named councillors be arrested,” he said. Col Panji said he felt bad to see poor residents duped by councillors.
And Col Panji said all councillors named in the illegalities were likely to lose their party positions and might not be adopted to contest on the party ticket because many of them would be appearing in courts of law. “These councillors are a disgrace to the party and [are] denting the name of the party through corruption which may even cost the party in the coming general election,” Col Panji said.
He said it would be difficult for people to vote for the party of the councillors that stolen from them. Meanwhile, Col Panji said the tribunal also recorded one case of misappropriation of ward funds amounting to K60,000. Evans Nsokolo of Ndeke ward allegedly forged the signatures of people purporting to have received money for ward development. “He called this councillor to respond to these allegation and he was quizzed but the outcome would only be known before the courts of law,” Col Panji said.
He further warned the councilors to avail themselves whenever they were needed for questioning. Sources who were part of the audit team mentioned the following civic leaders as those that face possible arrest in Kitwe: Kitwe mayor and Kafue ward councillor Kelvin Sinyangwe, Evans Nsokolo of Ndeke ward, Everisto Chilufya of Luangwa ward, Fostino Chola of Mindolo ward, Mwansa Jordan of kwacha ward and Siame of Twatasha, Chibote ward’s Webster Malama, Kamakonde ward councillor and PF Copperbelt chairperson Steven Kainga, Charles Kabwita of Chimwemwe ward and Kamfinsa member of parliament Moses Chishimba.
And Col Panji told Kalulushi residents at the council chamber that it would be better for the PF government to lose elections for doing correct things than win an election with criminals that were selling land illegally. “We do not mind if we lose elections for sending our members to jail who would be found guilty of illegal land allocation,” Col Panji said.
He said he was on the Copperbelt with a team of officers comprising Anti-Corruption Commission, the police and prisons to ensure that Copperbelt councillors named in all illegal land deals were arrested. Col Panji said the illegal land allocation by councils on the Copperbelt were alarming and was denting the name of the Head of State. “There is no way that we could allow our councils to continue giving land in a dubious manner while enriching themselves than the public who constitutionally have the right to own land,” Col Panji said.
He said it was the right of every citizen to own land. And Col Panji said he was saddened with haphazard dealings of councils, mostly on the Copperbelt, where some townships and compounds had almost been created with illegality in land allocation. “This time around people found wanting for illegal land allocation will be arrested irrespective of their position and influence in society because illegality of any form is in conflict with laws of the country,” said Col Panji.
Meanwhile, some residents in Kalulushi commended Col Panji for inviting them to expose civic leaders who had duped them on land allocation. Michael Mulenga said the investigation launched in the illegal land dealings was timely.
“This is what we want; rightful people who applied for land have failed to have land while people who have never even attempted to acquire land have been given. So this move by the minister to come is welcome,” said Mulenga.
PF Councillors On The Copperbelt Very Corrupt – Col Panji added by Editor on
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Honestly you can compare the political engineer FTJ to clueless ECL? FTJ played a very big role in turning around the economy. He laid down the foundation for the reforms out of which the MMD ultimately managed to turn the economy around. He might not be likeable as a human being but you cannot re-write history and take away the credit from him. Even as politicians FTJ is million light years ahead of Chagwa agwesa dziko . ECL and his PF have eradicated all the gains we achieved under the MMD rule and now we are back where KK let the country; in a mess, in economic doldrums.
All Panji’s efforts will be frustrated by Chama,and Musenge.Mumbi Phiri will just open for Lungu to put and the case will be a complete washout.
Its a good move, people must learn that corruption does not pay live within your means and working out your life in a godly way.
When Nez said that pf are corrupt I was insulted. The truth does have a funny way of coming out. It will even be more interesting when lungu loses and all his crimes are revealed. We in upnd promise fair trials for zambians benefits
ba panji bonse ba pf including ba president you are corrupt
The system in Zambia is so porus such that at the end of the day, no one becomes accountable once the govt is changed. Thieves are all over and since no one has ever been jailed since Mwanawasa era, everyone feels its okay to sreal.
Anyway its is a good move.we also need u here in kabwe,col panji & yo group.Here there is too much land illegalities,more especially in makululu(zambezi ward,mukobeko maipambe ward etc)people have bn oppressed by the so called councillors(civic leaders).
its gud to see big nez on net jah bless upnd 4 eva…….
@NEZ, UPND councillors are equally corupt, Livingstone council is controlled by UPND and it has been suspended several times, Choma is UPND they even fight over plots so who are cheating!Even you can sell plots if given chance but we wont give you that chance.
Deal also with kitwe city council land surveyors, they biggest culprits. Thi are oney also approving plots illegally allocated by the councillors in wrong areas such as roads, play parks, creating plots on illegal land that is 2 meters from the rail line, plots under zesco power lines, creating plots along the streams which are the main source of water for kafue river. Cage all these guys they are hiding these useless pf councilors
Can they be compared to Livingstone?
aam also one of those affected in ndola itawwa plots.i was given a plot on someones small holding farm and am nt alone,we re alot and ve been to the council all they say is that i will be given alternatives but its almost a year plus.can the d minister look at our issue also.
t is ok just suffer after all “IFINTU NI LUNGU”.You voted for them and you are the ones who should be condemned to suffering.
only idiots like chimbwili who ar carrying pangas in their hearts are the ones finding it good to work under corrupt no vision lungu. woo panji is in pf and he cant go on giving the blind eye on corrupt pipo. in short panji is saying leadership is corrupt. chapwa
This move must be extended even to chief auditors, town clerks and security officers. I was praying for this to happen because I was feeling like hurting someone for me to be heard. I lost K100,000 in this arrangement and now it is one year they still promise me alternative plot yet I have seen them selling new plots to people. If you report this to the police,they quickly bring the topic of new plots to be allocated and the police officers lose interest in handling your case and instead begin to pursue their interest of acquiring those plots and became more protective to these criminals.
investigation should also go to Government Department Directors who are fond of corrupting officers at PSMD and ACC to get out with their wrongs.
KINDLY ADVICE ME WHERE THIS TEAM IS AT THE MOMENT. IAM A VICTIM OF THE CARTEL OF LAND GRABBERS.I NEED TO TELL MY STORY.AM IN KITWE. THANKYOU BA PANJI KAUNDA AND TEAM
PASTOR CHAPOTAMO 0955782132
bapela ama plots elo sell them,what this baipela ama plots then they sell them
Kuba Kakafye ama 9years.Viva Ecl.Kopala.
the prophet of God prophet shepherd bushiri has prophesied his excellence president HH winning this year election so ba pf start to join the winning team even Edgar and rb are welcome to join
I am a psychopath. I can’t think of anything without putting PF in it. I am addicted to UPND. Even my underwear are branded with HH and UPND Logo. Kikikikikiki
I am a founding supporter of the PF and I am very worried that if we do not punish Councillors by not allowing them to stand will cost us heavily.
I was very upset and still am when I was duped of the non refundable fee in Luanshya for a plot an Luanshya turn off only to later see a list of people who shared the land including bana Kaseba.
If we are made to lose the August elections I will sleep at SATA’s grave for 3 days with food or bath.
ba pf we welcums u to our party upnd
A journey start with first step. Ba Panji, please carry on with this process even sacrificing yourself for the good of MOTHER ZAMBIA. Your efforts are not in VAIN.
The issue of illegal land allocation is very serious in zambia.some former female minister was jailed over land.what more these cheap councillor?
Arrest them nd help the affected people wit genuine papers no home demolishing nw ala abantu bachula from de same law makers