LCC directors suspended

Lilongwe City Council (LCC) has suspended two directors over performance reasons pending investigations on their role in the council’s poor performance in some areas.

The suspension of the two comes at a time when the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) recently disconnected power at the council due to non-payment of bills now standing at over K50 million.

LCC Human Resources Committee chair Desmond Bikoko, who is also Chigoneka Ward councillor, in an interview confirmed the suspension of director of engineering Julius Tsogolani and director of finance Jeremiah Sibande.

Said Bikoko: “It is true the two have been suspended, but it is mainly due to performances issues. They have been suspended so that investigations can be conducted without any interference and if any wrong is not found against them, they will be back in office. The suspension is indefinite and it came into effect two weeks ago.”

Asked to clarify which performance issues the two have been suspended for, Bikoko said he could not do so as he needed to gather more details.

But Tsongolani said they have not been suspended for issues to do with performance, but they are being accused of being behind the recent electricity disconnection at the council.

In a separate interview, LCC public relations officer Tamara Chafunya also confirmed the suspension of the two, saying the reasons are administrative in nature.

“Yes the two have been suspended, but the issues are administrative in nature. But one of them is also to do with the recent electricity disconnection at the council,” she said.