MP, Mayor clash
… war of words erupts between Choma Central Member of Parliament Cornelius Mweetwa and Mayor Javen Simoloka over plots fees
A WAR of words has erupted between Choma Central Member of Parliament Cornelius Mweetwa and Mayor Javen Simoloka after the law-maker accused the council of charging exorbitant fees for people who wished to be interviewed for plots.
A barrage of words between the duo ensured after Mr Mweetwa last week called for a press briefing at which he questioned the K2000 fee the council was charging per person for those wishing to sit for interviews for plots and asked the local authority to revise the rates downwards. But Mr. Simoloka did not take the call kindly but instead took the fight to one of the UPND Whatsapp groups where he charged that it was wrong for Mr. Mweetwa to demonize the council over interview fees. “Mr Mweetwa went to deceive people that he is speaking for them so that we have an open-ended way of applying for land. He wants us to continue sharing land among the few and that’s theft. “In all honesty, no new levy has been introduced. These are the leaders who would get and share plots which they would later sell for campaigns. This is in public domain and it begs for answers which will be given soon. The people from Lusaka and Copperbelt never attended interviews yet they looted the land,” Mr. Simoloka wrote in a post on the group forum. In response to the post, Mr. Mweetwa dared those accusing him of abuse of office to report him to investigative wings. “Democracy allows for freedom of speech. All those who are aware of any wrong doing or abuse of authority of office on my part should not end on social media. Report to relevant authorities. Let’s settle this once and for all. I am not fighting anybody (but) just made a humble request that council revisits and review the non-refundable fee of K2000. “If this makes me a bad person to price out poor Choma people and ex-pect me to keep quiet because the council gave me a plot in Kozo like others, which some say was corruptly obtained, take me to ACC,” Mr. Mweetwa wrote. But speaking to the Daily Nation yesterday, Mr Mweetwa said he was happy that the council had finally resolved to work with him. “I don’t sit in the council but I am still the supreme body in Choma cen-tral constituency when it comes to representing people and their land and that is why I go to the National Assembly to make laws to govern the whole country. “They are calling for unity and I want to work with them. I heed their advice and I welcome their proclamation and willingness to work together because we are serving one community. We are one people. I am very happy with that call,” Mr Mweetwa said.