HICHILEMA’S GOVERNMENT SELLS SOCIETY HOUSE IN DEFIANCE OF THE LAW – Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

ZAMBIA’S TALLEST BUILDING SOLD

HICHILEMA’S GOVERNMENT SELLS SOCIETY HOUSE IN DEFIANCE OF THE LAW

“We have sold Zambia’s tallest building Society House. That’s why we bought  Elunda Park building ” Jeff Samukonga, ZNBS Board Chairperson

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

I have seen an article by my dear brother Matero MP, Miles Sampa alleging that Zambia National Building Society has bought Manu Centre (Elunda Park) located at Addis Ababa round-about for a princely sum of $10million.

I have also seen correspondence being circulated by UPND bloggers alleged written by ZNBS Board Chairperson, Jeff Samukonga, written to his Management asking the MD to refute the Miles Sampa story or put context and timelines to the purchase of Manu Centre building.

Samukonga also confirms that ZNBS has since sold the iconic Society House, Zambia’s tallest buidling, and in compensation, has bought Manu Centre.

Now both facts from Miles Sampa and Jeff Samukonga are extremely alarming and elicit a scandal of huge proportion.

Society House recently underwent major rehabilitation and redevelopment that cost $100million. It saw the creation of a business park, a mezzanine car park and establishment of a five star hotel. ZNBS partnered with NAPSA for this huge investment.

Article 210(2) of the Constitution forbids the sale of major State Assets without Parliamentary aporoval.

Article 210 (2) of the Republic of Zambia states that; (2)

” A major State asset shall be sold, transferred or otherwise. disposed of, as prescribed, subject to the approval of the National. Assembly signified by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Members.”

Secondly Manu Centre is or was owned by the private pension Fund, Saturnia Regna.

Saturnia Regna is owned by Benefits Consulting Services Limited (Bencon) and fund administrators, Africa Life Financial Services (Aflife), both of which are under the common ownership of Menel managements Services Limited whose shareholders are Munankupya Hantuba,( President Hakainde Hichilema who booked out of the shareholding in 2019), and Valentine Chitalu partnered by Botswana Insurance Fund Managers.

So the contraversial arguements of African Life Insurance and Saturnia Regna obtaining government businesses without deckaration of interest because of their proximity to President Hakainde Hichilema becomes the issue here, as was Government’s interest in the Zambeef Chiawa Estate Sale or the $40milloon Environmental Fund under the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Develooment awarded to AfLife, snd other businesses, arise.

Zambia National Building Society is a provider of mortgage, banking and property management services and is wholly owned by the Zambian Government and is the largest building Society in Zambia. It was established by the Building Societies Act of 1968 which was amended on 24th December 1970.

Bane if you have sold Society House, apa pena abena Zambia taba mileke!