By JOHN SAKALA
Kabwe Mayor Prince Chileshe says the rehabilitation of the surroundings of the Mukuyu tree depicted on the K50 note was done by the Bank of Zambia and not the local authority as reported in certain media houses.
Mr Chileshe said the Bank of Zambia through its Corporate Social Responsibility a few years ago adopted the Mukuyu tree heritage site declared in the 1950s and has periodically rehabilitated it according to their available resources and budget.
“The council did not spend any money or participate in the tendering process of any company to carry out the rehabilitation works at the Mukuyu Tree as that was done under the Bank of Zambia. So it is unfortunate that some media houses can be tools of propaganda at the expense of informing the nation on the process involved, stating clearly the sources of their information for people to make informed decisions based on verified information.
“It is regrettable that the media has lost its meaning and value to national development and cannot be used by citizens to make informed decisions as can be seen in the rehabilitation of the Mukuyu tree story meant to portray the Council as being irresponsible to spend a huge sum of money on rehabilitation works amidst non-payment of salaries for council workers,” he said.
The Mayor has implored the people of Kabwe to always consult their leaders on the various projects happening in their district.
He challenged the media houses to uphold their ethics in reporting if they are to remain relevant to helping citizens make informed decisions.
“I have directed the council management to prioritise the payment of outstanding salaries for our workers as they are the engine towards the provision of quality services to the people of Kabwe. Our workers are a priority and my Town Clerk is aware of this and we will not divert from this commitment,” he said.
