Chieftaincy wrangle takes new twist in Salima: Irate villagers seal all government offices

Disgruntled villagers who want Senior Chief Kuulunda removed from her throne have sealed all government offices at the district.

The villagers who had a meeting with Salima District Commissioner, Rodney Simwaka, Tuesday morning said they won’t open the office until the senior chief is removed and government addresses their concerns.

Some of the affected offices include those for Education, Agriculture, Information, Water and the Council Offices.

The villagers had earlier conducted a five day Virgil last week which they halted after meeting Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Samuel Tembenu and Lands Minister Atupele Muluzi.

Among other issues the villagers are accusing their Chief of corrupt tendencies alleging she included names of her children and relatives on the list of people who received compensation money in the on-going GBI project.

In an earlier interview with MANA, Simwaka confirmed that the contested list of the beneficiaries was given to all concerned parties including the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) Thursday and that the council was waiting for the graft bursting body to investigate the matter.

On their demands to have Senior Chief Kuulunda removed, Tembenu called for patience saying the issue has been presented to President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika and that the villagers should wait for the president’s intervention.