Esa’ala in a Mess! Steven Davis' multiple role as MP, LLG President and Councillor ruining electorate
In July of 2012 when Davis Steven was elected as Member for Esa’ala Open, the people were relieved that Hon. Moses Maladina’s reign had come to an end because nothing much was achieved during his 10 year reign as MP. But the feeling of relief and optimism soon disappeared as Davies started stamping his authority as MP.
In his first JDP&BPC meeting as Chairman, the MP sent out a message of what is to follow in the next five years by allocating K500, 000.00 from the DSIP funds to a member of his inner circle for the completion of a boat, M.V. Hideaway II. It was a message to the people of Esa’ala by the MP that he will only support those that supported him in the election
The MP also appointed “political coordinators” of wards and zones when he clearly campaigned against it during the elections. These so called coordinators have become more powerful than ward councillors who are mandated leaders by the people. All development agendas are channelled through these coordinators instead of following established structures. This was exemplified last year when the ward councillor for Gomwa Ward, Mr. L. Narara wrote to the MP for clarification on how projects are awarded and why political coordinators oversee these projects.
This was in light of the fact that the Gomwa people constructed the Salamo wharf at the cost of K200, 000 and were owed K20, 000 but the money was under the control of the MP’s political coordinator and not the Gomwa Ward Development Committee. The MP responded by calling a meeting at Gomwa and scolded the Ward Councillor in front of his people that he had not right to question him. The MP said that it was his prerogative and that he will do things as he sees fit. This particular incident brought to light who Davies Steven really is. His arrogance and immaturity were clearly demonstrated.
He also ‘sponsored’ drop outs from West Fergusson (where he comes from) to study at Gaulim Teachers College and other institutions around the country. These were people who had flunked and were living in the village and suddenly they were ‘sponsored’. All these ‘students’ that were sponsored by the Esa’ala MP (not from his own money but through DSIP) had one thing in common, they were the MP’s supporters. Students that were already in universities and other tertiary institutions but had known political affiliations with other candidates during the 2012 elections, were NEVER considered.
A few weeks ago, violence and lawlessness gripped Esa’ala as a direct result of the MP’s arrogant and immature leadership. The MP engaged a local consultancy firm called Salu Agro Consultants to manage all of Esa’ala’s Economic Development Programs. The arrangement was such that the Managing Director (MD) of the consultancy firm was also sitting in JDP&BPC meetings. The MD of the consultancy firm became so powerful that projects were determined by a Yes or No from him. This caused resentment among public servants who felt that their roles were hijacked from them. And they were right because the MP was performing his role as an MP, LLG President & Councillor all at the same time, so everyone merely became spectators as he ran a “one man show”. As a result, public servants at Esa’ala engaged the MP’s own armed ‘criminals’ who hijacked a dinghy belonging to the MD of the consultancy firm in broad daylight and sank it, this was on a Saturday. They were witnesses who identified certain suspects involved in the incident and informed the MD.
The next on Sunday evening, the MD’s people from Galubwa mobilised themselves and went to Gomwa village to effect a citizen’s arrest of one of the suspects whose dinghy was used in the previous day’s hijacking. The suspect is an avid supporter of the MP. When they arrived at the suspect’s house, they beat him to an inch of his life, destroyed his house, and burnt his fuel depot which had 15x200Ltr drums of Zoom. In retaliation, the suspect’s gang members armed themselves and were publicly roaming Salamo Station looking for people that were involved in effecting a citizen’s arrest of their comrade. They even shot at the PMV that had transported the Galubwa community to do a citizen’s arrest when the driver of the PMV didn’t stop after attempts by the criminals to stop it.
So here we have a case where the MP’s supporters are fighting amongst themselves because the MP chose one group over the other. This is a result of arrogant & immature leadership.
The expectations of the people of Esa’ala from the MP will not be realised considering the indicators so far. I now call on the people of Esa’ala to elect a leader that will guide Esa’ala away from all these mess come 2017 National Elections!
