Govt redeploys interdicted Kasungu municipal boss

Government has redeployed former Kasungu Municipality chief executive Stuart Ngoka who was interdicted in 2018 following allegations of abuse of office.

A letter from Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development signed by Principal Secretary (PS) Charles Kalemba says Ngoka will now serve as the ministry’s desk officer for urban councils.

Reads the letter: “This redeployment is with immediate effect. Therefore, you are required to wind up your duties at Kasungu Municipal Council and report for duties at this ministry’s headquarters.

“Let me take this opportunity to thank you for the services that you have been rendering to government at Kasungu Municipal Council and I am wishing you all the best as you will be serving at the ministry headquarters.”

Ngoka has been on interdiction since April 24 2018 and in May this year; he underwent disciplinary hearing whose results are not yet known.

Ngoka’s lawyer Leonard Mbulo has since queried the transfer, saying there is need for the ministry to clarify issues relating to interdiction and disciplinary hearing.

Mbulo has since written government asking about the status of his client’s interdiction and the outcome of the hearing.

He says in the letter:  “Our client is surprised to receive a letter of redeployment without being notified about the results of the disciplinary hearing as well as the status of his interdiction. Therefore, our client seeks your clarification on the status of his interdiction as well as the outcome of the disciplinary hearing as your letter is silent on the two issues.”

Ngoka sued government to claim K50 million for defamation over alleged corruption remarks made against him by former Local Government minister Kondwani Nankhumwa.

Mbulo said in an interview yesterday the K50 million compensation claim case will proceed in court despite that government has acted on the matter.

He said the case has nothing to do with redeployment as the issue centres on defamation.