By JULIUS PHIRI –
EASTERN Province Permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga has asked the Local Government Service Commission to institute investigations to probe several allegations that have been leveled against senior management staff at Chipata Municipal Council.
Dr Mulenga said yesterday that he was concerned that several allegations were leveled against the senior management staff by the junior officers at the local authority who wanted to stage a work stoppage last week.
He said unionised workers had put forward a number of allegations against the management staff at the local authority.
Dr Mulenga said he was saddened with the allegations and said the Local Government Service Commission which was the employer should quickly move in to investigate the allegations.
He said some of the allegations leveled against the senior management staff were that they were always out of the office.
“If those people at the council more especially the senior officers are found breaching rules and regulations after investigations, definitely appropriate action will be taken against them and last week I just persuaded them not to go on strike,” he said.
Dr Mulenga said the investigations would assist to restore sanity at the local authority.
Last week, Chipata Municipal Council Town Clerk Ekan Chingangu resigned from his position after he was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for cheating, contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
Details are that between October 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010, Chingangu, 53, of house number 510020 Luangwa Road in Chipata, fraudulently wrote a letter to Monze District Council recommending Namiye Kawanga for employment and introducing her as a permanent employee for Mazabuka Municipal Council when in fact, she was an intern.
However, Chipata Mayor, Goodson Thole, has promised to call for an urgent extra-ordinary full council meeting to discuss issues which had befallen the local authority.
Mr Thole said he has decided to call for an urgent meeting probably by Friday this week to discuss, among other, issues the resignation of Mr Chingangu.