City Market Manager, Mwenya Matafwali has dismissed allegations that he misappropriated over K13million revenue raised in 2019 at City Market, the country’s largest trading market.
Matafwali says the revenue he raised was spent on wages and operations of the market.
Matafwali claimed that the City Market employs over 250 workers and the wage bill alone gobbles most of the revenue.
He accused the Lusaka Mayor of fighting political battles as Matafwali was among the primary contestant for the position of Lusaka Mayor during the by-election that saw Sampa win the position.
But Sampa has dismissed the responses and stated that all revenue by regulations should be remitted to the Council coffers.
He said Market Boards are subsidiary entities of the Council and that he would not tolerate the abuse and theft of public resources using ghost workers and unjustified operational costs.
He said the salaries of all council workers including that of the Market Master are under the authority of the Town Clerk.
He said while markets were given semi-autonomy status through the creation of market boards, government did not remove the authority that the city managers hold over markets and bus stops.
He said the decision to remove Mr. Matafwali was final and Lusaka City Council Town Clerk, Alex Mwansa must ensure that Matafwali was removed as directed in his letter dated 2nd April 2020.
Sampa has exposed the abuse of public resources and cited City Market which raised K13,626,242.12 in 2019 and Matafwali only remitted to the City Council K60,000.00.
He has since directed that Matafwali be removed from his position as City Market Manager and transferred elsewhere immediately.
He has also directed that Matafwali’s contract should not be renewed when it comes to an end in July 2020.