Mayor accuses suspended Lilongwe City boss of inciting strike

The suspended Lilongwe City Council  chief executive officer Moza Zeleza is being accused to have allegedly coaxed juniors workers to stage a sit-in strike protesting against Zeleza’s forced leave and removal of Mayor Desmond Bikoko.

Zeleza was sent on forced leave for three months  by the Ministry of Local Government and Riral Development  last week to pave way   for an investigation into the council’s “gross underperformance”

Lilongwe district commissioner (DC) Charles Makanga has since been appointed LCC CEO.

Junior workers on Monday demonstrated and chanted anti Mayor songs demanding the ouster of the city father.

There was heavy police presence at the Civic offices in the early morning but after some discussions between the Mayor and members of the striking officials, the strike was quickly called off.

Mayor Bikoko said it is wrong and unlawful for a very Senior official like Mr Moza to incite strike.

“CEO went and told workers that Mayor and Councillors had recommended to the ministry that he be suspended thus the strike.  Its sad and uncacceptable that Mr. Zeleza will go to that extent instead of accepting ministry decision to go on leave quitely. Its very clear to everyone that Lilongwe City Council is grossly underperforming especially under his leadership and ministry decision was right one,” Mayor Bikoko told Nyasa Times.

“He  should not hold the city hostage at all. Every resident is crying out for improved service delivery and he was the officer tasked to supervise the team.”

Bikoko said  he will give the new CEO his full support.

“We need to be moving forward and very fast and we will,” said Bikoko.

In a letter reference number C/61/01/03 to Zeleza, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Principal Secretary Kinswell Dakamau said the ministry will commence investigations into the performance of the council, which it says was a matter of concern to the city residents.

In the letter to Zeleza,  the ministry said government was dissatisfied with the dismal performance of Lilongwe City Council in respect of implementation of projects and service delivery in general, saying it has led to loss of confidence in the council by the general public.

Reads the letter in part: “You may wish to know that the general public, including the mayor, councillors as well as city residents, have expressed deep concerns on deteriorating environmental cleanliness which subsequently poses a great health hazard to the city residents.”

Dakamau said other areas of concern to government include the below par performance in implementation of projects such as roads upgrading, street lights installations and poor implementation among directorates of the council activities and resolutions.

Reads the letter: “In view of the above, I write to inform you that on the directive of government, I grant you three months leave effective 16 May 2017 pending investigations into the causes that have led to the underperformances of the city council.”

Meanwhile, the councils’s union has advised all employees to resume work .

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