|
|
|
|
| National |
| Kasungu wrangle rages on |
|
by
Joseph Langa, 11 August 2003
-
09:59:21
|
The wrangle over the defunct Kasungu Flue cured Tobacco Authority (KFCTA) in Kasungu is refusing to die; some local leaders in senior chief Kaomba and T/A Njombwa are quarrelling over property in the area.
Two separate groups of local leaders, one led by Kaomba and the other one led by special advisor to president Bakili Muluzi, Morris Kachimbwinda, called on Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Chakufwa Chihana in Mzuzu recently and asked him to intervene in their wrangle.
Minutes of the meeting indicate that the two groups accused each other of misappropriating funds and property from the defunct parastatal and asked Chihana to intervene urgently.
At the meeting Kaomba and his group, who are operating under Chiza Cooperative Society told Chihana they were worried about the delay in the distribution of KFCTA property to the three cooperative societies entrusted to operate in the area of KFCTA.
The distribution exercise was stopped by Kasungu district commissioner Christopher Makileni on allegations that there were misunderstandings in the three cooperative societies which resulted in some of them forming break away societies.
The distribution exercise, which was supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture, was halted when personal assistant to Kaomba, Elisha Ngalande, accused the DC and some UDF officials in the district of removing property from the KFCTA headquarters.
Kaomba confirmed the groups met Chihana. He said they mainly complained to him about the loss of property, which includes a car, a motorbike, office furniture, livestock and workshop tools.
Ngalande said he gave Chihana, a detailed account of all items removed from KFCTA which he said was confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture, which was heading a committee entrusted to oversee the distribution exercise.
He said Chihana pledged to institute a committee to investigate the matter before he could give them his decision jointly with Lands Minister Thengo Maloya.
However, Kachimbwinda and some traditional leaders in T/A Njombwa, excluding Njombwa himself, denied that some property was stolen from the KFCTA headquarters, according to the minutes from the meeting.
Kachimbwinda, who is the chair for Mziza Cooperative Society, a break away from Chiza, have written a strong letter to Kaomba accusing him of interfering with the operations of T/A Njombwa and their association. He also accused the chief of being pro-opposition MCP.
Kachimbwinda, who signed the letter and the local leaders also accuse Kaomba of embezzling money and property from the defunct statutory body notably timber and livestock.
But Kaomba in another letter described the letter as defamatory and challenged Kachimbwinda and his group to produce evidence or send audited accounts to Chiza to verify the records failing which he warns of instituting legal action.
“I ask you to come forward through state established institutions that deal with such issues to investigate and be judged for the embezzlement of millions claimed in your letter,” read the letter from Kaomba dated July 31 copied to Office of the President and Cabinet, ministries of Agriculture, Lands and Local Government.
Kachimbwinda could not be reached for comment but Kaomba said on Sunday the two parties are still waiting for Chihana’s decision on the matter. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
