JOHNS KALYATI, A BAD MAYOR RUNNING AWAY FROM COLLECTIVE BAD DECISION
We are not surprised that NDOLA Mayor has run away from a decision he was part of to levy Wheelbarrow Vendors in Ndola because it’s in PF DNA to mess up and start laughing at people cleaning their mess. We know it is natural for human beings to make mistakes but when one makes a mistake it is always important to say sorry and ask for forgiveness.
We say so because Mr KALYATI the NDOLA Mayor was part of the meeting that made a bad decision to levy Wheelbarrow Vendors but today he wants to come out clean stating that he can never be part of such decisions blaming council officials whom he always chairs as a Mayor.
The behavior by Mr KALYATI is not just bad corporate manners but also against the local government act on collective responsibility and code of conduct of a councilor. The NDOLA Mayor can be made accountable for this bad behavior incase his officers at the council took legal position on him for distancing himself from this bad decision they made together with him.
We would like to thank Ndola Town Clerk Mr George Mulenga for withdrawing the planned move to levy poor Wheelbarrow Vendors and this is the type of civic leadership we expected from the NDOLA Mayor than running to the public with a lie that he was not part of the decision making when he actually attended the meeting where such resolutions were passed.
Further the directive that all councils on the Copperbelt should never make such unreasonable levies to our people is welcome as it resonates with the UPND’s pro-poor policies and Manifesto which is about reducing poverty levels by empowering Zambians. This is why even the Republican President Mr Hakainde Hichilema has rolled out the Marketeer booster loans and other direct empowerment programs to Zambiains.
The UPND government has also depoliticisized markets and bus stations so that councils can improve on their revenue collections than putting levies on Wheelbarrow Vendors. Now we know why PF and Mr Edgar Lungu wants to come back to power and one of their aim is to come and levy Wheelbarrow Vendors.
To our Copperbelt residents, we would like to assure you that your UPND government will always be there for you and will always be on your side to make sure that you enjoy your vote. To all the opposition mayors on the Copperbelt who think they can frustrate government efforts and policies, we advise you to stop because People will definitely punish you.
By//
Sam Mwikisa
Copperbelt Province UPND Vice IPS for Politics
Impeach him. The decision was no bad. Councils need the money to sustain the services they need to provide to its citizens.
So many services that we used pay through the council have been crawled back. Even titles that were issued by the council have gone to central government (lands) and the associated rentals are recieved by Central Government. How then is the council suppose to sustain itself? Liciencing is done by RSTA, yet we used to tantama at the Council. Who is supposed to keep the city clean amd maintain the city roads?
Wheelbarrows have plagued our cities with those manning taking over roads and flyover bridges not just footpaths. Money is being made by the owners.
There is stress on the treasury, yet many dont pay any taxes as contribution to the services that government provides. Nay sayers and Opposition leaders speaking up against the move will be faced by the same plight. A narrow tax base.
The growing population needs services and those services cost. Lets not politise issues lets have a conversation. Why should wheelbarrows not be taxed? Whoever owns those wheelsbarrows makes money and that is tax free. Why should a few carry the burden of the majority?
The Mayor is just a coward and the Minister is just trying to be “Politically correct” and Political correctness wont feed us. Its productivity. Lets call a spade a spade. If the wheelbarrow owners shouldnt pay taxes then lets all stop paying and I wonder how government will function. Councils arent a charity.