Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa says he will take back Matero constituency if incumbent member of parliament Lloyd Kaziya does not up his game by 2021.

Sampa told News Diggers in an interview that the constituency had deteriorated since Kaziya took over.

“If he does not pull up his socks, yes, [I will get back that seat from him]; if he does not improve his performance in the remaining two years. Instead of attacking and blaming me for his under-performance, it’s not too late to blame himself and improve his output,” Sampa said.

Sampa, who has dragged his successor to court for defamation, said if he won the case, he would donate the money to Matero youths.

“That was said two weeks ago when I was giving the cleanest house award of K1,000 to a resident of Matero in Lilanda. I am only defending myself as the MP Kaziya attacked me first in the Vision Newspaper of December, 2018, when he said that he has failed to perform because Miles Sampa collects money from Matero stadium. So, I have taken him to court for defamation so he can prove, which money I get from Matero and who pays it to me. I have spent huge cash in Matero [in the] last 7 years and for one to accuse me of getting money where I have spent a lot of it, I want them to prove to me and the court dates and amounts that I got from Matero stadium. If I win this case and awarded damages, I will donate all the money to youths of Matero to continue with the metro concept of empowerment,” Sampa said.

Sampa said even the local football teams, which he helped move from lower divisions to the FAZ Premier League, had been relegated under Kaziya’s watch.

“Yes, and this can be proved via local football teams. When I became MP in 2011, I found the local team Lusaka Tigers in Division 2. Within 3 years, as patron of the team, we got it promoted to Division One and to FAZ Premier League! When he (Kaziya) took over as MP, he has seen or observed Tigers been relegated each year he has been MP from [the] Premier League to now Division 2. I don’t think he has ever gone to watch Tigers play at the same Matero stadium that he is making malicious accusations against me! I may run the risk of blowing my own trumpet if I say I performed better than him. I ask you to ask independent residents of Matero to answer that question,” said Sampa.