Councillors threaten to take Council officials to court over missing K15mil
Councillors at Chiradzulu District Council have threatened to drag council officials to court over missing K15 million, forcing the council fail to pay contractors in the malata and cement subsidy program.
Alick Naphiyo, Chikwawa ward councillor said projects under the malata and cement program have completely stalled because of failure by council to pay contractors.
“There are so many discrepancies in the whole system. We suspect up to K15 million has been embezzled,” he said.
District commissioner Memory Kaleso conceded projects in the program have stalled but ruled out embezzlement of funds as the reasons.
“The program is indeed not making progress because no project has completed but this has nothing to do with embezzlement of money, the councillors should bring forward evidence,” she said.
In Phalombe, councillors are accusing council officials of engaging half baked contractors in projects, saying this is leading to substandard structures.
Francis Mphazingwe, deputy chair of the council said an assessment of project structures show they are substandard and the money pumped in do not match the structures as they are of poor workmanship.
Phalombe east MP Amos Mailosi also said most contractors abandon projects half way through, a development that threatens development programs in the dstrict.
A director at Phalombe district council confirmed development activities in the district are chaotic and attributed all this to lack of money.
