NDOLA DEPUTY MAYOR GIVES MAYOR 7-DAY ULTIMATUM TO APOLOGIZE OVER DEMOLITION OF MOBILE MONEY BOOTHS
Ndola Deputy Mayor Luckson Chisenga has given Ndola Mayor Jones Kalyati a 7-day ultimatum to apologize to the residents of Ndola for claiming he was not aware of the council’s decision to demolish the booths in the CBD.
Speaking at a press briefing held at Ndola District UPND secretariat today, Mr. Chisenga said Mr. Kalyati should apologize to the residents for misleading them, as he is fully aware of the decision and chaired the meeting, as an ex-official, which was held on 31st December, 2023, in the council chamber at Civic Center.
Meanwhile, in a video posted on his Facebook page, Ndola Mayor Jones Kalyati claimed that he was not aware of the council’s decision to demolish the mobile money booths in the CBD of Ndola.
Mr. Chisenga maintained his stance that the meeting resolved that the mobile money booths, especially those that were non-operational, needed to be removed from the CBD in order to enhance sanity in the city, but that tables and umbrellas could be used by mobile money operators.
Mr. Chisenga, however, emphasized that if the mayor does not apologize, punitive measures will be taken and disciplinary actions will be undertaken.
And speaking at the same event, United Party for National Development (UPND) Ndola District Chairperson Onesmus Mudenda said the party is very disappointed with the manner in which the council demolished the mobile money booths, adding that the local authority should have engaged the operators.
Mr. Mudenda implored the council to always engage the people and find the right solutions, further calling on the need to compensate the affected operators.
Meanwhile, UPND-Ndola District Secretary Mubita Ikashakala has accused the mayor of being behind the breaking of the mobile money booths in the CBD, further urging him to stop taking politics into the council, which he says is interrupting the progress of government programs in the city.