The Nkhotakota District Council is under pressure to explain the disappearance of 13 vehicles belonging to the council.
Chiefs and Members of Parliament (MPs) have written the council calling for an extraordinary full council meeting by Friday, October 19 to discuss the disappearance of the 13 government vehicles.
According to the letter, the vehicles were meant to be used for transportation activities at the district council offices.
“Council secretariat should explain the disappearance of these government vehicles or simply bring them back for visible council use, a) under DHO: MG 520 AD, MG 1229, MG 554, BL 3437, BM 8179, MG134, MG 1376, MG 378, MG 700, MG 1344 and MG 836, b) under District Commissioner: BM 9029 and a Nissan Patrol which we have not captured its details,” says the letter dated October 12, 2018.
The letter also highlights that the secretariat needs to explain the disappearance of MK67.5 million, money which was included in the 2017/2018 financial year for the drilling boreholes.
Among other complaints, the legislators and traditional leaders indicated inefficient and selective processing of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and poor welfare of chiefs in the district as issues that needed immediate attention.
“We also need to know the allocation of council market plots so that we understand why some individuals started erecting structures on the public plots,” reads part of the letter.
The document also outlines the handling of Sitima Inn (Kaliba house) lease contracts which they say they fear the current occupants of the building may take full ownership of the property.
“Again, we want to understand the management of District Development Fund (DDF) funded projects with focus of our council chamber which is taking time before it finishes despite being allocated more funds,” reads another part of the letter.
Acting District Commissioner (DC) for Nkhotakota Greystone Alindiamao who received the letter last week said he would call for the meeting.
“I will do as advised. However, some of these issues are currently in court and we need not to tackle them now. Meanwhile, we need to deal with the root cause and not symptoms,” he said.
On Friday, the authors of the letter walked out of elective full council meeting after some council members including the immediate past chairperson Thomas Kasache denied them chance to add issues on the agenda.
The document was signed by Senior Chief Mwadzama, Chiefs Mphonde, Mwansambo and Makuta, Sub Chiefs Nkhanga and Kalimanjira as well as legislators Peter Mazizi of Nkhotakota Central and Makowa Mwale of Nkhotakota South East.
