Africa-Press – Zambia. Patriotic Front (PF)’s Mpansa Mwaya has been installed as Kitwe Mayor. Ms. Mwaya has pledged to ensure that the Kitwe City Council passes sound resolutions in the best interest of the people despite the diversity political composition of the new council.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Garry Nkombo installed Ms. Mwaya as Mayor and her Deputy Felix Malasha of the United Party for National Development (UPND) at a colourful ceremony held at the civic centre in Kitwe yesterday.
And speaking during the installation ceremony, Mr. Nkombo urged the new mayor to take advantage of the removal of cadres from markets and bus stations to raise revenue for the effective running of the council.
He also urged the new mayor to take record of all properties in the district and ensure that they all pay ground and property rates to enhance revenue for the council.
And Mr. Nkombo said government will not tolerate street vending but will constructively engage the vendors so that they go back to designated trading points.
He also challenged the new council to instill public confidence in the local authority by operating diligently free from corruption. He further assured the new council of government support in its quest to improve service delivery to the people of Kitwe. Mayor of Kitwe Mpasa Mwaya And speaking earlier, Ms Mwaya pledged to improve service delivery and honouring of campaign promises.
Ms. Mwaya further promised to ensure hard work and quality service delivery free from corruption through collaboration with various stakeholders and law enforcement agencies in order to achieve a corruption free Zambia as called for by President Hakainde Hichilema.
“Our goal is to ensure hard work and improved service delivery that is free of corruption in line with the messages delivered by the head of state, it is very clear that President Hakainde Hichilema in his speech made it clear that he wants a corruption free Zambia. I want thank my immediate predecessors for laying the foundation and paving the way for me, I am therefore confident that I will deliver and carry on the mantle to the expectations of the people of Kitwe,” she said.
Ms Mwaya noted that the new council might face challenges but with a clear vision and goals that it wants to achieve and the determination, it will overcome and deliver to the aspiration of the people.
She urged all citizens to be whistle blowers in the fight against corruption at the city council so that everyone benefits from the services of the local authority.
And Ms Mwaya bemoaned the challenges of the increasing number of street vendors in Kitwe saying it was disadvantaging those trading from the markets. She said about 340 traders have deserted their stands from Chisokone Market in preference of street vending.
The new council comprises of 14 United Party for National Development (UPND) councilors, 14 Patriotic Front councillors while 4 are independent and Ms. Mwaya is the only female in the council. Mayor of Kitwe Mpasa Mwaya
