A resolution placed on the Jackson City Council’s Tuesday meeting agenda is requesting Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba “take a leave of absence or sick leave.”
Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes — Lumumba’s longtime adversary — is the author of the resolution and placed the item on the council’s agenda last week. In an interview on Monday, Stokes explained that he put the resolution forward due to Lumumba’s indictment in November and his alleged role in Jackson’s bribery scandal. Stokes said he believes the Mississippi Legislature might hold back funding for Jackson due to Lumumba’s alleged role.
Moreover, Stokes thinks Lumumba stepping aside would help the city “heal.” He said there is “a cloud over the City of Jackson” because of the mayor’s indictment.
“We’re not trying to say whether somebody’s innocent or guilty, what we’re trying to say is that we must put Jackson first,” Stokes said.
Ward 3 Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes, seen here in this March 19, 2024 file photo, put forward a resolution requesting Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba “to take a leave of absence or sick leave” on the council’s Tuesday agenda.
In November, Lumumba, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens and Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks were all federally indicted, accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from out-of-state real estate developers who said they were interested in developing a downtown property into a convention center hotel, according to court records. Those “developers” turned out to be working with the FBI. Lumumba, Banks and Owens all ended up pleading not guilty to a combined total of 17 felony charges. A court date was scheduled for Jan. 6 but has since been continued.
Lumumba is specifically accused of ordering a city employee to move up a deadline for the convention center hotel that would’ve benefited the “developers.” In return, Lumumba allegedly accepted $50,000 in campaign donations. He allegedly did all of this while aboard a yacht in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with Owens and the undercover FBI agents posed as developers.
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For Stokes, Lumumba’s indictment is enough reason for the mayor to step aside and take sick leave with pay. He wants Louis Wright, Jackson’s Chief Administrative Officer, to take over for Lumumba.
“The way we can remove this cloud that is hanging over Jackson is allowing the mayor to go out on sick leave with pay and allow Mr. Wright to run this city in the absence of the mayor,” Stokes said. “Some people hear the word indicted and the first thing they try to say is ‘y’all got a criminal mayor.’ He has not been found guilty or innocent, but he has been indicted. … If the mayor wants to help Jackson, he needs to get out of the way until this is settled and make sure that the citizens in this city know that he put Jackson first.”
While Stokes is requesting Lumumba take a leave of absence for his alleged role in the bribery scandal, he does not plan on putting forth a resolution for Banks to take a leave of absence as well.
“I don’t see anybody really insinuating anything about Banks. You only have one mayor, you got seven council members. The mayor is the head of the city, not the one council member. Now that’s my position, other council members might decide to put a resolution (for Banks) but that’s up to them,” Stokes said.
The Ward 6 councilman allegedly requested $50,000 in bribes in return for his vote in favor of the “developers” bogus real estate company, according to court documents. Banks also allegedly threatened to withhold city employees’ salaries if they did not comply with his wishes to help move a deadline for the convention center hotel project.
Before Stokes’ interview, Lumumba said he didn’t know what Stokes’ resolution was in reference to during a Monday press conference. Lumumba cheekily responded:
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“I’ll just simply say that I thank Councilman Stokes for his concern for my well-being,” he said. “I will respectfully decline his suggestion.”
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, seen here in this April 10, 2023 file photo, said on Monday he was unsure why Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes put forward a resolution requesting he “take a leave of absence or sick leave” on the Jackson City Council’s Tuesday agenda. He said he has no plans to take a leave of absence and thanked Stokes “for his concern for my well-being.”
If the council approves the resolution, it is not mandatory for Lumumba to take a leave of absence, and the mayor said he has no plans to.
The council will discuss and vote on the resolution during their Tuesday, Jan. 14 meeting at 10 a.m. at Jackson City Hall.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why Jackson MS councilman wants mayor to take a leave of absence
