Chasefu North Independent Member of Parliament Captain Towani Chipeta has defended her refund of funds unlawfully paid to her by Chasefu Town Council, saying she consulted higher authorities before making the return.
She said she had seen the council’s press statement and reiterated that she is an ex officio councillor under Article 153, which the council is citing to shield itself and justify its unauthorised actions.
Chipeta said the return was not done on the spur of the moment and that she included Article 153 so that people could read it for themselves.
She noted that the Emoluments Commission circular quoted by the council specifies the quantum of allowances payable to councillors, not the modalities of payment to Members of Parliament who are ex officio councillors.
Chipeta advanced that Article 264(4), which the council has conveniently ignored, is clear and unambiguous.
You could be the next winner of K20,000 sign up here
She said she did not make the decision without deferring to the relevant authorities and making the necessary consultations.
Chipeta affirmed that fellow Members of Parliament confirmed they were not receiving ZMW 6,000 from their respective councils and that the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development expressed no knowledge of such an entitlement.
She emphasised that the Emoluments Commission advised her that receiving the monthly allowance would amount to a double payment in contravention of Article 264(4).
Chipeta said retaining the funds would result in an audit query and possible charges for theft of government funds and imprisonment, while the Public Finance Management Act Cap. 347 made it mandatory for her to return wrongly paid funds.
She emphasised that failure to return the funds would make her liable for financial misconduct under section 49 and additional punishment under the Ministerial and Parliamentary Code of Conduct Act Cap. 262, and that public funds should be handled with seriousness.
Looking for the latest sports odds and markets? Check them out here.
