By Jack Mwewa –

TWAPIA Ward councillor in Ndola Joseph Chibulu has been accused of collecting market levies from an illegal Market in his area.

Mr Chibulu last month allegedly collected K30,000 from Nyanji market and threw a party at Kafubu Inn last weekend, a move that angered some marketeers left out from the merry outing.

Some councillors revealed that they had on a number of occasions protested to Ndola Mayor Davies Chiwala against the scandal but has not taken action.

The mayor, however, expressed ignorance about the whole matter.

Some marketeers are further goaded by Mr Chibulu’s purported handy men he has engaged to collect money on his behalf. They reportedly pocket part of the collection.

When contacted for a comment, his response was: “It’s not true that the money came from their contributions, we used my own money and part of it came from the ward officials.

“In any case, I was not even involved in the selection of those who were supposed to attend the function.”

Mr Chibulu said by virtue of him being a councillor he helped in securing the venue for the party.

He admitted that Nyanji was an illegal market but that he was already in talks with Ndola City Council to have it legalised or find an alternative piece of land where it could be relocated.

His justification of the daily 50 ngwee contribution marketeers made was that it helped towards funerals and that it was from the same contribution a tent was purchased.

Mr Chibulu said plans were that a police post and clinic would be built around the area once an space was found.