The Ndola City Council says the odd looking lion sculpture which went viral on social media yesterday was photo shopped and does not exist in the city.

And the Ndola City Council has distanced itself from the other animal sculptures erected around the city saying they were donated by a business man.

In a statement today, Ndola City Council public relations manager Tilyenji Mwanza said the council had noted social media frenzy over the sculptures.

“Ndola City Council has noted the sculptures that are currently a subject of debate especially on social media and allegedly put up by Ndola City Council were actually put up by a private businessman over three years ago. The businessman chose to donate them to the city as a philanthropic gesture. We therefore wish to state and advise that at no time did management commission, erect, or subcontract any company or individual to put up the statues or sculptures as the public is being misled to believe,” Mwanza stated.

“In his undertaking, the private businessman was motivated to purchase the artworks from young learner artists as a way of empowering and promoting their work. However, Ndola City Council will endeavour to pay attention to concerns raised by well meaning people. Additionally, Ndola City Council management will consider engaging the private businessman behind these sculptures to take note of the public’s concerns.”

She stated that the strange looking lion and zebra sculptures were not in Ndola.

“Meanwhile, the Council will not be derailed by some malicious individuals who have gone to the extent of photoshoping and forming graphic designs such as the sculpture of a lion and zebra depicting them to be existing in the City of Ndola when such do not exist in Ndola. Although the Council is preoccupied with matters regarding the provision of services such sanitation, garbage collection, maintenance of city infrastructure related to its mandate to ensure that the city is healthy we will always endeavor to address matters that are of a public concern and brought about without malice,” stated Mwanza.

“We remain steadfast to serve the people of Ndola and ensuring that the city remains clean as one of our key mandated priorities. As management of Ndola City Council we remain committed to ensuring that there is sanity in the City of Ndola.”