…local authority turns to illegal traders to raise funds
By Beverly Bizeki
Broke Mwenezi Rural District Council (RDC) has turned to illegal traders in the most remote parts of the district for penalties in order to assist the cash-strapped local authority to raise funds to pay workers who have gone for three months without salaries.
Mwenezi RDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Albert Chivanga did not deny the allegations of the local authority failing to pay its workers saying the situation was not unique to the local authority.
He said there was no need for workers to take their grievances to the media for they were aware of the ongoing situation at the council.
“There is really no need to be going to the media because the workers are aware of the situation at the council. There is no money and they know what should be done, they should work. The situation is not unique to Mwenezi RDC, this is just the state of the economy in the country,” said Chivanga.
The local authority was also accused of seizing people’s goods and working during the night targeting people in rural areas.
Chivanga confirmed the council’s efforts in the remote areas but said they were simply following council regulations.
“Those are just normal council procedures. Illegal traders are supposed to pay penalties and this even in government this is allowed. The allegations that council is seizing people’s properties are not true but why are these people running away from council and not doing the right thing? Tax evasion is a crime and businesses must do the legal thing.
“About people accusing council workers working during odd hours, this is a matter of distance so our workers end up not being able to return with vehicles on the same day,” said Chivanga.
Sources said council descended upon some of the most deserted places in Mufuli Ranch in Mwenezi East Constituency where most of the operators not even licensed.
“Council came to these areas to tax the business operators here, trying to raise funds for its operations. They would even go to the extent of taking things like solar panels that had been abandoned outside as people closed shops running away from the local authority.
“The situation is bad such that workers are spending nights working in order to raid these areas taking fines from unregistered businesses which are said to be having illegal structures,” said the source.
