Newly appointed Bukalo Village Council chief executive officer (CEO) Anna Lyamine-Sazita has promised to tackle challenges head-on to bring about development at the village, which has been without a CEO since 2016.
The council has mostly been operating with acting CEOs since they suspended Martin Limbo for various misconduct charges.
Limbo was suspended in October 2016 with full pay until August 2017.
Lyamine-Sazita commenced her duties yesterday, for the next five years.
She was officially introduced to the community yesterday by Bukalo Village Council chairperson Simataa Mubonda, where she laid out her ambitious strategies, which include ensuring unity among staff members to avoid hampering development.
“The council will ensure that it equips staff with the required knowledge through capacity building to enhance productivity. As revenue collection is the backbone for the council to function effectively, we will also educate villagers on the importance of paying for council services every month during every meeting we are going to host with them.
“The council will put in place measures to ensure fair revenue collection and not allow villagers to accumulate debt they cannot pay off,” she said.
She said the council will strive to push for projects that will create jobs for all villagers, whether skilled, semi-skilled, or uneducated, while also advocating the construction of a library and museum, and the development of a formal cemetery.
As for the sewerage challenges within the village, Lyamine-Sazita noted that a lack of proper sewers breeds diseases, therefore, the council will work hard with the villagers and investors to ensure that they operate in a satisfactory manner that will not pose health hazards.
“The council will push for government offices to be decentralised to Bukalo in order to bring services closer to the people. We will also approach bigger businesses such as Shoprite, Metro and Pep to open branches locally in order to bring services closer to the villagers and provide jobs for them,” she said.
PENDING APPEAL
After being suspended, Limbo was subsequently dismissed, leading him to take the council to the Labour Court over unfair dismissal in the same year.
The Labour Court ruled in Limbo’s favour in 2018, and as such, he was reinstated on 29 September 2019.
Limbo’s contract expired on 31 May 2020, however, the council opted not to renew it.
In attempts to obtain a renewal, Limbo took the council to the Labour Court on the grounds that the council interrupted his contract when it unfairly suspended him in October 2016.
In September 2022, arbitrator David Ithana ruled in favour of the Bukalo Village Council, noting that Limbo failed to prove there was a legitimate expectation to renew his contract.
Ithana said Limbo’s contract came to an end at the time of expiration.
Limbo then decided to appeal against the arbitration award in the High Court.
The case, Limbo vs Labour Commissioner, David Ithana, and Bukalo Village Council, is still being heard in the High Court.
The next hearing is scheduled for 1 September.
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