A UNIP Trustee in charge of a property owned by the party in Chaisa Township has sued a councillor of the same area, Ruth Phiri, for allegedly hiring people to demolish a toilet at the said property that services tenants.

Fackson Njovu, suing as Trustee of UNIP, is seeking costs of rebuilding the said toilet at K180,000, damages for trespass and an injunction to restrain Phiri, her agents, workers or whomsoever from trespassing, demolishing UNIP’s property and allow the party’s quiet enjoyment of Stand No.93/Block 207.

In a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, Njovu stated that Phiri was a local leader and councilor for Chaisa Ward 13, who was seeking re-election for another term.

He stated that UNIP was the owner of the property in issue, Stand No.93/Block 207, and had built a number of structures, including a toilet that serviced all its tenants occupying the rented premises.

Njovu stated that UNIP, as part of community service, had allocated one building which had been and was still being used as a police station.

He, however, stated that on November 4, 2020, the party discovered that its toilet at the property in issue which serviced all the tenants had been completely demolished by some people.

Njovu stated that upon inquiry, it was discovered that Phiri had hired people to demolish the said toilet and was now building some other structure on the said UNIP property without authority or consent from the former ruling party.

“The defendant was then written to through UNIP’s advocates demanding that she ceases to encroach, trespass and to destroy the plaintiff’s property, but the defendant ignored the said letter and instead continued building on the property. The plaintiff approached the defendant with necessary land ownership documents concerning the land but she ignored everything,” read the claim.

Njovu stated that as a result of Phiri’s behavior, the plaintiff had suffered loss and damage.