Confusion over payment of allowance to former councillor in Chipata

An anomaly has emerged where former Sisinje ward councillor, Samuel Lugomo Phiri was paid an allowance despite not being a civic leader after attending two council meetings.
And Chipata Municipal Council Town Clerk, Davies Musenge says that Mr. Phiri will have to return the allowance that he got from the last full council meetings.
Responding to a question on why he allowed Mr. Phiri to get paid for attending the last two council meetings, Mr. Musenge stated that Mr. Phiri was informed about his seat being declared vacant but he decided to attend on his own.
Mr. Musenge clarified that the Sisinje seat has been declared vacant and that what is remaining is for the district office to inform ECZ, the Electoral Commission of Zambia, who will then nullify the seat and announce the date for the by-election.
But when contacted for a comment, Mr. Phiri said he will not be forced to return any money, adding that people talking about him and the Sisinje seat are hallucinating.
Mr. Phiri wondered why Mr. Musenge allowed him to attend the meeting in the first place, adding that he is now doubting the credibility in declaring his seat vacant.
Councillors who attend full council meetings attract an allowance ranging from 400 to 1,100 Kwacha.
In this case, Mr. Lugomo whose former ward is about ten kilometres away from Chipata Town, should have collected about 2,200 Kwacha for the two meetings held on Tuesday and Wednesday.