Irate villagers seal off DC’s office in Salima

Irate villagers in Salima have sealed off the district commissioner’s office and erected a road block preventing him from going to the office as the villagers battle it out to have their chief Bibi Kuluwunda dethroned.

The district commissioner Rodney Simwaka has since failed to work from his office on Tuesday.

One of the villagers said the villagers decided to take this action to force the district commissioner recommend the removal of the senior chief on allegations of corruption and dictatorial tendencies.

Police just looked on and Simwaka could not be reached for comment as he was reportedly in a meeting elsewhere on the same issue.

The villagers had been camping at the district commissioners office for 10 days on Tuesday and seemed they were not in a mood of relenting.

Two senior cabinet ministers; Lands minister Atupele Muluzi and Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Samuel Tembenu last week failed to deal with the matter when they brought the warring parties together in the lakeshore resort district.

Senior chief Kuluwunda insists those who are baying for her head are doing so out of sheer jealousy, saying she is not corrupt and respects the rule of law when discharging her duties.

The Office of the President and Cabinet is yet to comment on the closure of its office in Salima.