Former Chipata Central Member of Parliament Reuben Mtolo Phiri is reported to be holding on to 12,000 Kwacha balance out of what President Edgar Lungu donated towards the construction of a shelter at Saturday market in Chipata.
Saturday Market Chairperson Peter Soko told Breeze News in an interview that the former MP does not want to release the funds to complete the works on the market shelter at the trading area.
Mr. Soko says efforts to talk to Mr. Phiri on phone where he is in the United Kingdom to have the money released have yielded negative results as his line is always off.
He says the market committee will not relent until the 12,000 kwacha balance is released to complete the shelter.
And when contacted for comment, Mr. Phiri confirmed that he was still keeping the 12,000 Kwacha that was given to the market by the president through his personal efforts.
Speaking in a telephone interview from UK, the former MP said that he will release the money immediately when he comes back to Zambia adding that he has not refused to give back the 12,000 Kwacha.
President Edgar Lungu earlier this year gave Saturday market 150,000 kwacha to construct the market shelter.