UPND cadres bitter over council list for plots

SOME UPND cadres have complained bitterly that they have been used and dumped after they were left out on the list of UPND cadres allegedly submitted to the Kitwe City Council (KCC) for them to get plots.

According to a voice note posted by a UPND member identified as Given, who is an unsuccessful applicant for Chantente ward, the UPND Kitwe district officials have submitted a list to the council for them to be allocated plots, leaving out the names of some party officials in constituency, wards and branches.

Kitwe District UPND Deputy spokesperson cephas Chisange said he had listened to the voice note and confirmed that Given was a UPND member, but hinted that the district executive would sit down to mete out disciplinary action against him.

Given said he had suffered for the party so much and it was unfair for the district officials to start sharing plots among themselves without regard for others who suffered for the party.

“We all suffered for the party, we have gone through a lot. We have put so much in the campaigns. it appears us youths we are being used. The district, the constituency and the wards have neglected us, especially for us who applied for adoption as councilors.

“The owner of the vehicle I was using during campaigns wants to take me to court. So next thing you hear is that I have been taken to court because of K5, 000,’’ said Given.

And Mr Chisange said the party in the district may mete out disciplinary action against Given for positing things on social media when the party had a procedure to follow for any aggrieved person.

He said Given may be disciplined for trying to bring the name of the ruling party into disrepute by alleging that the district leadership was sharing plots in Kitwe .

“I have listened to the voice and I can confirm that Given is our member and he had applied for adoption as councillor , but he was not adopted. The conduct of Given is indiscipline and as a party , I must say we may mete out disciplinary action against him.

“Yes, we may mete out disciplinary action because his conduct was likely to bring the name of the party into disrepute. The party has a procedure to follow when airing grievances, but if a party member or official resorts to social media, then he does not mean well,’’ Mr Chisange said.

Investigations by the Daily Nation at the Kitwe City Council and within the UPND, the list was genuine but that some UPND cadres including some senior government officials were distancing themselves from it because it was a scandal.