By Zindikilani Banda in Sinda
KAPOCHE PF member of parliament Dr Charles Banda has expressed disappointment that PF party-branded bicycles are being sold in Sinda district, a development he says undermines the ruling party.
In an interview, Dr Banda said it was criminal to sell party property because they should be distributed for free.
Dr Banda, who is also Local Government Minister and member of the PF central committee, bemoaned the continued sale of the branded party material, coordinated by a village headman in neighbouring Sinda constituency.
“I don’t know the origins of these bicycles, to be frank. Complaints have reached me and I have proof that people from the other side (Sinda constituency) are selling those bicycles, even in our constituency here in Kapoche, they are being sold and, unfortunately, there is a village headman involved in selling these bicycles on behalf of the unknown,” Dr Banda narrated.
He complained that the bicycles were being sold between K100 and K250 each, rather than being distributed to local residents free of charge.
“…I know it’s these political players who want to campaign and they have sourced them somewhere and, unfortunately, the bicycles have landed in wrong hands such that instead of distributing, they are being sold at K150, K250…K100. This is a bad activity and whoever is doing it should stop because party regalia is not for sale, party materials are not for business! These should be distributed freely to party officials. We don’t make business on party regalia, that is wrong; this matter was already reported to head office and since these bicycles are not coming from the party Secretariat, investigations are underway to find out the one who is supplying these bicycles to these guys,” said Dr Banda.
“Who is supplying? We have to find out the one who denting the party…”
But PF district chairperson Michael Phiri said the bicycles were not sold, but that the beneficiaries were only asked to contribute funds for transport, according to information availed to him by Sinda Independent member of parliament Masauso Tembo.
And according to PF constituency chairperson Simon Mwale, those who were given the bicycles could be the ones selling and not party officials.
“No one is selling the bicycles but…a small contribution of a K100 is contributed by the beneficiaries as transport, but not selling; those we give might be the ones that sell. We will look into it so that the sold bicycles should be retrieved. I think those youths at the station could be the ones who can sell since they are hungry for money, but not from us as leaders. So far, we are following one bicycle which we gave a village headman, but his son, who is UPND, got the bicycle and painted it in red. So, those are serious issues…” said Mwale. – ND