Government not satisfied with Kyungu’s advice

The government has expressed dissatisfaction with the advice given by Paramount Chief Kyungu last Wednesday, that Karonga District Council should not demolish illegal shops that were constructed around the district bus station, to avoid anarchy.

This was disclosed by principal secretary for Local Government and Rural Development Chris Kang’ombe and commissioner for Physical Planning in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Felix Tukula, when they visited Karonga on Friday.

The two government officials held an emergency meeting with district heads of department on Friday after inspecting the shops.

However, what was initially planned to be a full council meeting was boycotted by all chiefs, members of Parliament (MPs), council Chairperson Patrick Kishombe and the majority of councillors .

Kang’ombe and Tukula observed that Kyungu’s decision benefits a few individuals at the expense of the public.

They wondered  how an individual proceeded to allocate public land when technocrats from the physical planning office advised him not to do so.

Kang’ombe asked Karonga district commissioner (DC) Rosemary Moyo to write a report to be endorsed by the council to the line ministries about the resolutions made last Wednesday and Friday.

In his remarks, Tukula said that it is the responsibility of the land allocation committee with assistance from the planning committee to allocate land, not an individual.

Karonga district council chairperson Patrick Kishombe is alleged to have offered plots to vendors around the bus station at K10 000 ($18) each without approval from the district planning committee.