By KASONDE KASONDE –
FORMER Kabwe Municipal Council director of finance Kate Mukonde has narrated before court how the then town clerk Vivien Chikoti ordered her to pay K24,900 to a surveyor within 48 hours or face disciplinary action.
Ms Mukonde told the court that she refused to pay the surveyor as the proper procedure for awarding contracts by the municipality was not followed and the council had no capacity to pay such an amount.
The former town clerk is appearing in court on abuse of authority of office charges involving more than K750,000.
Chikoti is alleged to have abused the authority of her office in the manner she facilitated the awarding of a land survey contract to William Mhango amounting to K778,100 between October 1-31, 2010.
Ms Mukonde told the court that in April, 2010 she received a memo from the IT manager Clement Musika requesting that she pays an amount of K17,150 to Mr Mhango as part payment of K847, 000 surveyor fees signed by Mr Mpundu who was acting town clerk.
After receiving the memo, she was concerned about the K847,000 attached to Mr Mhango’s quotation as a committee had not sat to select a surveyor which meant that the awarding of the contract was not properly done.
She went to see Mr Mpundu over the matter as he had authorised the payment in his capacity as the Acting Town Clerk at the time, and told him that she would not pay the surveyor as procedure had not been followed.
She later went to see Ms Chikoti who was at the time on maternity leave and briefed her on the happenings at the Council and the then town clerk  assured her that she would take up the matter.
Ms Mukonde was surprised to receive a memo from Ms Chikoti in May requesting her to pay K24,900 to the surveyor with an attachment which indicated that a contract was signed by her and Mr Mpundu as her witness and Mr Mhango and his witness.
She replied to the memo raising the issues of the amount being above the threshold of the council and also the fact that the committee had not yet sat to award the contract and the implications of not following procedure.
Ms Chikoti responded to the memo by indicating that Ms Mukonde should pay within 48 hours or face disciplinary action.
Ms Mukonde was then called for a meeting with Ms Chikoti, the mayor, the deputy mayor, council directors and the public relations manager where the town clkerk reported that she had refused to pay the surveyor and that the public were complaining that plots had not been surveyed.
She proceeded to pay Mr Mhango the money from the project account after which she wrote to the ministry of Local Government and Housing over the issue. Trial continues.