RESIDENTS FUME OVER CB SHOW ENCROACHMENT
By NATION REPORTER SOME Kitwe residents have challenged leaders of the Pentecostal church accused of having encroached on the land belonging to the Copperbelt Show ground to tell the truth on how they acquired the land.
The residents, led by John Chiselebwe said leaders from the United Pentecostal Church should tell the truth on how they acquired the land on the premises of the show ground.
On Tuesday, one of the Church leaders only identified as Pastor Chileshe said his Church got the land through the Ministry of Land using established legal channels.
But Mr Chiselebwe said wondered how the Ministry of Lands could allocate space which was less than 50 metres away from the Rail line and also on the premises of the Copperbelt Show.
He said in an interview in Kitwe that initially residents in the area thought it was the Copperbelt Show Society which was carrying out some works, but were shocked to learn that some council officer had illegally allocated a plot to the Pentecostal church. "We expect church leaders to be truthful and explain how they acquired the plot, but they seem to be avoiding talking about the issue," Mr Chiselebwe said.
Another resident Elizabeth Phiri said it would be very difficult to fight corruption and illegal land allocation if churches were also involved in vices.
"If what we are hearing that the plot was acquired illegally from a council officer is true, then we have a problem because we expect the church to be upright,'' Ms Phiri said.
Last week, Copperbelt Show Society Chairman London Mwafulilwa accused the Kitwe City Council of having illegally allocated land which has resulted into the encroachment on the show premises.