THE Post closure is still a fraud, says Dr Fred M’membe.
And Dr M’membe has demanded payment of dues to former Post employees saying: “They worked for those assets, they are entitled to what they worked for. Those assets they [liquidators] are selling were purchased by funds raised by workers.”
Speaking on Livingstone’s Falls FM Radio in a special programme on Monday, Dr M’membe who is Socialist Party 2021 presidential candidate, described The Post closure as a tragedy adding that many former workers of the independent newspaper have since died from depression.
“They (ex-Post workers) have not gotten their benefits from the liquidators of The Post, those who control The Post today and its assets. They have sold the assets, the major assets of The Post have been sold and employees have not been paid their dues. Where has the money gone to? Even ZRA [Zambiia Revenue Authority] has not been paid its dues. Where has the money gone to?” he asked. “Those that are selling the assets need to answer to Post employees, they owe them a duty to do so. They have to render an account of what has been sold, how much it was sold for and how that money has been used.”
Founded in 1991, The Post was closed in June 2016 by the ZRA, allegedly over disputed tax-related issues.
Lusaka lawyer Lewis Mosho was later that year appointed liquidator of the company. To date, no former employee has been paid by the liquidator.
“Today the only person who probably has gotten money from The liquidation of The Post is the liquidator himself. It is a sad story of broad daylight banditry. It’s banditry and I have no doubt that they will not be able to account for the assets of The Post, they will not be able to. But they will be made to account one day. They may not account now because the entire system protects them,” Dr M’membe said. “The whole liquidation of The Post was a fraud, it is still a fraud and to survive they have to resort to more fraudulent ways of ensuring that nobody makes them accountable. They go for those that try to make them accountable. If they had a way they would kill everybody who would want to make them account.”
He added that with or without people like him the liquidators of The Post will one day be made to account.
Dr M’membe indicated that The Post was the product of hard work and sweat of its workers.
“They worked for those assets, they are entitled for what they worked for. Those assets they are selling, they (workers) created them, they raised the funds that purchased them. They (liquidators) owe them a duty, they may not like some of us, but they owe a duty to former Post workers. Give them what belongs to them. Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, give to The Post employees what belongs to The Post employees,” said Dr M’membe.