NGABWE CIVIL SERVANTS IRK COUNCIL CHIEF
MOST of the civil servants that have been appointed to work in Ngabwe district are still staying in Kabwe district, a situation that has saddened district council chairperson, Thabiso Mizinga.
Ms Mizinga said although most civil servants say lack of accommodation in Ngabwe was reason for them not to move to the area, she was not in agreement because the government pays them housing and rural hardship allowances.
Speaking to the Daily Nation in an interview, Mrs Mizinga said because the government pays them these allowances, they have no reason to stay in Kabwe.
Ms Mizinga advised the civil servants to instead utilize the housing and rural hardship allowances in the same way that other civil servants were doing in other districts that are in remote locations.
She cited the neighboring Mpongwe district as one of the districts where civil servants that have been moved there have built houses so that they could be closer to the people they are serving.
“Some civil servants that are supposed to be in Ngabwe are still in Kabwe, they say have no accommodation but I don’t agree to that as far as am concerned government pays them a housing allowance and rural hardship allowance.
“We have Mpongwe which is our neighbor and we have civil servants that have built their own houses because they are in love with the district they are working from so whatever reason they can give is not valid,” said Mrs Mizinga.
She has urged all the civil servants working in Ngabwe but still staying in Kabwe district to consider moving to the area because their presence especially that of the council was needed by the people.
Ms Mizinga said it was unfortunate that the council which is the local authority has not moved to the district because it was supposed to be in constant engagement with people at the grassroots level.
“The planning department, for example, can’t be planning Ngabwe district while staying in Kabwe, they need to be in Ngabwe as a district and plan the district itself,” said Ms Mizinga .