A chief financial officer at Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ)was yesterday morning beaten by angry workers who had assembled at the local Zambia National Commercial bank branch where they were waiting to be paid their salaries.
The incident happened after workers were informed by management staff at the bank that it was not possible to pay them their salaries because retirees had not lifted the injunction they filed through their lawyer, Mr. Keith Mukata, restraining the bank not to release any money meant for NCZ.
More than 200 workers, who assembled at the bank, ganged up and went to the house of the company’s chief financing officer, Mr. Siisi Mukelabai, demanding that he talks to the bank on why they were not being paid.
It was at this point as he arrived at the bank that irate workers pounced on him and started throwing punches at him but quick action by police officers who were monitoring the situation rescued him and whisked him away before he could sustain serious injuries.
NCZ workers, who get their salaries from the local ZANACO bank branch, have not yet received their pay as retirees are also demanding to be paid their terminal benefits amounting to K19 billion the company owes them.
National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) president, Seth Paradza, and local union branch chairman, Spider Chibale, who were present at the bank, cautioned the workers against becoming violent as it was not the fault of the chief financing officer’s, but that of the retirees.
Mr. Paradza described the action by workers as unfortunate and has appealed to management at the company to dialogue with the retirees’ lawyers to find a solution to their problem.
Mr. Paradza said workers, together with management at ZANACO and the retirees, had agreed the presvious day in Lusaka to release the salaries but wondered why the injunction has not been lifted by yesrteday to allow the bank to pay the salaries.
He said it was practically impossible to share the K6 billion government has released for the retirees because it is meant to clear the four months salary arrears for workers.
Mr. Paradza said other workers who receive their salaries through other banks have not problems and have been paid apart from the ones who are with ZANACO.
But when contacted for comment, Chairman for the retirees Mr. Victor Kunda, said their lawyer will only lift the injunction if management agrees to pay the retirees K5 billion.
He said there is little the retirees can do but only instruct the lawyers to lift the injunction once they are paid their money also.
Mr. Kunda said once this is done, the workers will be allowed to access their salaries from the local ZANACO branch.
Sorry dear, you were caught in the crossfire! My fear is that the workers may resort to beating up retirees now. I just hope both parties will iron out there differences soon.
Sorry+dear,+you+were+caught+in+the+crossfire!+My+fear+is+that+the+workers+may+resort+to+beating+up+retirees+now.+I+just+hope+both+parties+will+iron+out+there+differences+soon.
its too much for NCZ workers, they make umufundo, GRZ sells and eats all the money!!
nabalepumwako limbi bakatampa ukulafoleshako abanabo bwango.
how do you feed your family if you don’t get your pay?
It is unfortunate that the Government is able to pay K6bn for Mwanawasa’s medical treatment but they cannot find K11bn to pay salary arrears and what the retirees are asking for. Zambia is in a mess because of lack of political will on the part of those that are tasked with running the country. Their priorities are wrong. The retirees are just entitled to NCZ’s assets as are the workers! You cannot just retire people and refuse to pay them what you owe them. Good for them!
I think it is uncivilized to beat up the poor finance officer. By the sound of things, these workers were intent on killing the guy. Where are we heading as a nation when people are willing to kill someone in cold blood. It is even more nauseating to see that #1 and #2 above think it is a joke. I am not a Christian, that is why I laugh when people say that Zambia is a Christian nation. If that is how Christians behave, I am glad I am not one.
#5, progressive thinkers like you are hard to come by. That’s why this country cannot make any progess – you can’t beat a senior company officer – youdon’t solve anything. Down tools, cripple the company or be on go-slow, there are ways out of these problems if you use your heads.
Most of us Diaspora based Zambians are only loud mouthed. Lets Watch out, 10 to 20 years long our madness just blogging nonsense we risk being the same rubbish chaps.Interesting that all folks who go go to London for Graduate studies, return home with Masters degrees within short time and they are plugged in in either own businesses or jobs.Robinson Zulu
Robinson with his wife Womba at their residence in Lusaka’s Jesmondine area. Above, with their children Madalitso and Kaleb Jr – Pictures by Thomas Nsama
Bathing together with my wife has proved to be the happiest part of our marriage, says Meanwood Group of Companies executive chairman Robinson Zulu.
Zulu, who has been married to Womba fo
Question: Firstly, could you give me your full names and a brief background?
Answer: My full names are Robinson Kaleb Zulu. In terms of my background and details, I am 43 years old and I would like to believe that I am still very young. I was born at University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.
My father is late. His name was Keleb Saili Zulu. My mum is Rhoda Balenji Zulu. She is still alive and living in Lusaka West.
Q: Could you give me your education background?
A: First of all, my parents come from Chipata and both are Ngonis. They come from chief Munukwa. He is one of the chiefs under paramount chief Mpezeni. Basically, my dad was a farmer and businessman. He had farms in Mumbwa and Nampun
In terms of my education background, I started school at Matero Hillside Primary School. I couldn’t start school where dad was at that time because I was too small. So he had to take me to aunt’s place in Matero where somehow they squeezed me in, in grade two. I didn’t start from grade one. I don’t know what happened, aunt just squeezed me in.I later realised that my going to start school in Matero had created a bit of controversy between mum and dad. At that time, dad was fairly prosperous and by Zambian standards one could say he was actually a millionaire. He was quite big in the retail business and mum felt that I needed to go to a better school but dad felt that I needed to start on a v
I later realised that my going to start school in Matero had created a bit of controversy between mum and dad. At that time, dad was fairly prosperous and by Zambian standards one could say he was actually a millionaire. He was quite big in the retail business and mum felt that I needed to go to a better school but dad felt that I needed to start on a very hard surface. Dad also felt I needed to live with his relatives so I could experience what it is to live with other people other than immediate family members.
But looking back, I think dad was actually correct because I learnt a lot. It was a shift for me to go to conditions that were much tougher than at home. I think this helped form part of my character because I learnt to be resilient. Dad’s theory might not work for everybody but it worked for me.Then about grade four, I continued school at a place called Sala School near Nampundwe where dad had a farm. I was there until grade seven. But in grade seven, I didn’t do well. I think I was still young and playful.
After that I joined my brother in Chingola at a school called Matero Primary School near Nchanga Stadium. From there, I qualified to go to secondary school. I think I must have been the best pupil in that year.Q: Which year was that?
A: I think 1978/79. I went to Kabundi Secondary School. I was at Kabundi until 1983 when I finished my form five at the time when they were just doing away with national service.
The following year in 1984, I qualified to go to University of Zambia (UNZA) in the School of Humanities. I was very committed to school that time. I think in my first year I did very well. I had almost the same scores as Zambia Daily Mail managing editor Leonard Kantumoya who came in as mature age. I was one of the top students. There was also the late economist Meebelo Mutukwa, Zambia Investments Director Jacob Lushinga, and Kellyford Nkalamu.
We were taught by Professor Oliver Saasa, President Mwanawasa’s economic advisor Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane Dr Caleb Fundanga Bank of Zambia Governor was also my lecturer.Actually, I can say that I felt I could do something in business from my early days at UNZA. While I was UNZA, I was supplying T/shirts with a UNZA badge in front to students as they were coming in at the beginning of the academic year. I also supplied the same T/shirts to clubs which were run by students. As a result, I lived a comfortable life at UNZA because I made a lot of money from that business.
I was at UNZA until 1988 when I finished.
After that, I went to work for PTC Post and Telecommunications Corporation that time in the marketing and sales department.Q: What did you study at UNZA?
A: I did economics and mathematics. That was my major course. So I proceeded to work for PTC although I was there very briefly. After that I joined Zambia National Commercial Bank as a management trainee during the time Friday Ndhlovu who is now chief executive officer of Investrust Bank was the managing director. Kaitano Chungu was also in Zanaco.
I stayed in Zanaco up to March 1990 when I joined Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) in Ndola as a project officer. I stayed in Ndola until 1993 when I was transferred to head office in Lusaka. I was transferred because during that time, I met the managing director of DBZ and I told him what was wrong with the bank and what the bank needed to do. I spent about five minutes with him after which he decided that I should be transferred.
So I was transferred to Lusaka as business analyst. I was one of the people who rose very quickly in DBZ. I came in as business analyst from Ndola. Before long, I was promoted to the position of assistant business development manager, business development manager
I came in as business analyst from Ndola. Before long, I was promoted to the position of assistant business development manager, business development manager and then assistant director of operations, director of operations and then business development director. I left DBZ in 1998 to go into private business.
Q: Why did you leave when you were rising so fast?
A: Yes, I was rising so fast in DBZ but later there were certain differences. I believed that I deserved the job of managing director in DBZ. I was the most senior and appropriately qualified for the job but I was not given that opportunity. They brought in a certain Asian person who was far much less qualified than me in the bank. Obviously, we couldn’t work so I had to give way. We agreed on my package, I was paid and I left DBZ.
I think there were also certain attempts by certain people that time who told him the Asian man that ‘Zulu wants to be MD so as long as he is in the bank, you may not settle down’.
There was an article in the Daily Mail which talked about work permits of the MD because he was not Zambian. I strongly believed that that job needed to go to a Zambian particularly that this man didn’t even have any investment banking background.
So there was an article which came out in the Daily Mail talking about his work permit, that he did not have his papers correct. So he associated that article with me and I gave way. That’s how I left DBZ.
Q: Was his associating that article with you correct?
A: No. It was common knowledge that his papers were not ok. There were a lot of people who spoke to me about it. Besides, I also had my own differences with Edith Nawakwi who was then finance minister.
Q: What sort of differences did you have with Nawakwi?
A: They were personal, very interesting.
Q: How personal were those differences?
A: Very personal because it had nothing to do with my job.
Q: But something to do with…?
A: Anyway, I will just briefly explain because Mpezeni got involved in that matter. He said ‘look, I don’t understand why they are not giving you an opportunity’. So Mpezeni sought audience with Frederick Chiluba who was president then. When we went to State House, the president said, ‘I know why he has a problem. He has certain problems with Nawakwi and as president, I am aware what those problems are and I think this is the source’.
We had a very serious meeting. The president was addressing paramount chief Mpezeni to say ‘his problems relate with Nawakwi. I have been given that information. But leave this issue with me I will resolve it’.But I said ‘Mr President, I thank you for your indulgence but Nawakwi is still Minister of Finance and I can’t go back to work at DBZ because she is still minister and the bank reports to Nawakwi, so it won’t work. It’s better I just get my package and leave’.
The president said, ‘I won’t go into details but as president, I know your problems with Nawakwi’. That’s how I got my package and left the bank.
Q: As Dr Chiluba talked about your personal problems with Nawakwi as given to him, were you alive to those problems as given to Dr Chiluba?
A: Yes, I was.
Q: What were those personal problems?
A: It was a very complex type of thing, very complex. Maybe I can just summarise or be brief. To the best of my knowledge, that was one of the problems with Nawakwi. When I was at DBZ, Nawakwi approached me when she was serving as agriculture minister. She said she wanted me to go and start Co-operative Bank, that she had received money from the Canadians so that they could start and reopen the Co-operative Bank. She wanted me to move there but I said I was not very keen because I wanted to remain in
She said she wanted me to go and start Co-operative Bank, that she had received money from the Canadians so that they could start and reopen the Co-operative Bank. She wanted me to move there but I said I was not very keen because I wanted to remain in DBZ.
She said ‘I will talk to Penza’ who was then finance minister. But Penza told her that ‘leave the young man at DBZ’.
So she came and said to me, ‘Penza says you shouldn’t leave, he is refusing to release you to go to the Co-operative Bank. But one day I will be Minister of Finance and all of you chaps at DBZ will report to me, then we will see what will happen’. And like she said indeed, within a short period of time, she took over as Minister of Finance and she called me. She said, ‘I told you that I will be Minister of Finance, you remember? You will see!’
But anyway, that is history. I respect Nawakwi and I wish her well. That was part of the issues. Maybe she also had her own reasons which I am not privy to. So I respected the decision of the bank. Up to now, I have no bitterness whatsoever. That is my history at DBZ. I really enjoyed my stay at DBZ. I think I was one of the youngest directors at DBZ.
In terms of academics, again, during my stay at DBZ, DBZ sponsored me to go and do my masters degree, which is master of science in finance, investments and projects analysis at York University in the UK. I went there in 1994. During my masters, I was partly disrupted. I had to come back to do certain work at DBZ to do with the corporate plan. Later, I went back and finished my masters in 1996.
When I left DBZ in 1998, I went back to the UK to do my MBA at Leeds University. So in terms of qualifications, I have a BA in economics and maths, master of science in finance and investments and then the MBA.
And maybe I should take this opportunity to thank DBZ for the training I received while there, particularly the managing director at that time Mr Gershom Mumba. He really believed in me and I believe I never let him down. He also approved my scholarship to the UK, so I am indebted to him. I have also not cut links with DBZ. Even after I left, I continued associating with DBZ. They are also partly funding my projects at the moment.
I think that teaches a lot of people the need to leave institutions properly. I have learnt that when you are moving from one institution to the other, it’s good to leave properly because you never know. Like now, DBZ has funded my projects to the tune of K5 billion. We first borrowed about K2.5 billion which we paid back ahead of time. After that DBZ gave me another facility of K5 billion. Right now I am paying them about K500 million per month on the loan.
We shouldn’t be scared to borrow. The time is now ripe for Zambians to borrow as much as they can afford. There is nothing wrong in borrowing but you must pay back. It’s important to maintain a good name in business because a good name is worth everything. My knowledge is that banks don’t lend to projects, they lend to people involved in those projects. No matter how good the business proposal is, if the people behind that project are not credible, you will not get funding. And if the project is not very good but the people behind it are very credible, the bank will be willing to take a chance.
So I would like to urge Zambians not to be scared to borrow, especially if they are borrowing for good reasons. Every business needs money to get started and most Zambians do not have enough money so the way out is for them to borrow. Had it not been for Barclays Bank, Meanwood would not have started. People shouldn’t think that Barclays only lends to non-Zambians because Barclays gave us the first big push.
Anonymous, most people that go home mistake Zambians for people who care. So many of us grew up in luxury but chose our own paths…these chaps that go back home and want to claim an intellect above the locals are the same goons plundering the nation on the pre-text of exposure and whatever the devil calls it these days.
Exposure can make you forthright in the development of your own country but I think some of us get exposed to the wrong things when we come out here. Tima ibala fast kwamene tichoka.
Hear this you in the habit of insulting every time your dreams are knocked out”
“I have learnt that when you are moving from one institution to the other, it’s good to leave properly because you never know. Like now, DBZ has funded my projects to the tune of K5 billion. We first borrowed about K2.5 billion which we paid back ahead of time. After that DBZ gave me another facility of K5 billion. Right now I am paying them about K500 million per month on the loan”.
That’s a good story.
Wooh, thats very sad more especially that the money has to be shared bewteen retirees and worksers, hope the find a resolution soon. one zambia, one nation
The problem is caused by Maureen who has shares with Miombo which supplies fertilizers and Dr.Sam Mundia who is a shareholder.the retired Permanent Secretary Agriculture.Beat them up NCZ….that plant has alot of money and would end suffereing of most of our farmers.
Kulabapumafye. Nabatumpa sana aba ba ngwele!
This is what the veteran ZIPRA former guerilla chief had to say about the unfortunate situation that led to Zambians replacing Kenneth Kaunda with a satanic stinking thief:
Dabengwa said: “At the Congress, we were defeated and ended up with a presidential candidate we felt should be replaced. We came up with this rescue operation, to say we could not have our leadership failing to the likes of Tsvangirai, which will see us going back to the Zambian situation where out of desperation they replaced Kenneth Kaunda with Frederick Chiluba.”
according to #34 on a loan of 5 billion the repayments are 500million?? what kind of business returns 500million for repayment EACH MONTH??i’m assuming there is money left over to pay other business expenses each month as well !! One common thing about Zambian businessmen is their disrespect for the figures they quote!!we need to learn to respect the word billion especially if we seek credibility!!
How many Ananymouses do we have on this blog? Not too long ago concerning an article in which Kabwe District commissioner complained about too many sugar mummies in her town, one Anonymous blogged that he was 26 years old and had a 40 year partner who did the “job better than his female age mates. Now this Anonymous is 43 years old. Anyway the NCZ story is sad one and speaks volumes of a sick enterprise. Is the old/dilapidated NCZ capable operating as a profitable enterprise like Sasol of RSA or is it a parasite” sorry parastatal” If it is a pitless bottom/bottomless pit, please pay the poor workers terminal benefits & close shop.
Too sad for the accountant, Zambians stop inflicting pain on each other, the guy never blocked the funds so why beat him? I know the workers need money and its painful for them to receive false promises, but please refrain from killing my fellow accountant.
That is what Zambia stands for in terms of respect for its Citizens.Bushe imwe ba ngwele tuleita ati ama leaders besu, muli kwi ?Bushe kanshi utulo mwakwata tatwakapwe pa menso ?!! Come on ! Wake up !Teti mumone the way the Zambian worker is being treated ?Stop thinking about your pocket only.Get yourself out there and serve the people who voted for you.Give respect to workers and pay them their dues at the right time.You call yourselves as educated, what are your degrees doing for developing your country ?If at all you are there for the peolpe put the Law into action and punish the law breaking employers.Workers need to enjoy fruits of their labour and feed their families.Ala IWE !
ba Teoretician…that so called delapidated bottomless pit is in that state thanx to the Government that does not want to invest in its own industries. That company has that capability to produce enough fertiliser for the entire farming season when at full capacity. It was doing so burt thanx to YOUR Government that got fertiliser which it did not pay for, the company failed to sustain its self. Unless the Government can repay all the debt owed to that firm then it would all be well…
#44 I think we are looking at the different sides of the same coin. Govt is not capable of running NCZ as an enterprise. It is using it as a political tool to distribute fertilisers in rural areas for rural votes. When an indian or chinese or south african “infestor”,sorry investor fails to pay to zambian workers it is a huge scandal. But here is our own govt duping its people.I am yet to hear of a parastal in Zambia that has made business success. It is cruel to dish free fertiliser to party cadres and fail to pay those that produced it. Thus it is better pay terminal benefits to the duped so that they can find other means and close shop. No free issues.
No strategic thought was put in the location of NCZ in Kafue. The are no location/competitive advantages of having a feriliser/acid plant whose inputs are bulky phospate/sulphur imports in Kafue. No wonder it has not attracted investors. Compare this with Nakambala in the fertile plains and abundant water for irrigation. There are phospahate deposits in Luangwa district & carbonatites (raw materials for fertiliser) in Isoka.Had NCZ been located close to these raw material sources & designed for their utilisation; NCZ would have been probably viable but in KK & even today politics overides business sense.
The market base of for NCZ fertiliser comprises peasant farmers/Cadres waiting for handouts from GRZ. Meanwhile GRZ does not meet obligations leading to cashflow problems. No enterprise can survive very long without adequate cash flow. Sad but the harsh reality is that a lot of 2ND republic parastals/ industries do not make business sense and we need to be brave and face new challenges instead of crying over /failed/misconcieved industries & “good old days”which were not even good at all. Another thing discharge from Ncz is amajor pollutant to the kafue river and is hugely responsible for Kariba weed choking the river
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