Thursday, March 28, 2024

RB had no hand in NAPSA issues

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THE National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) has refuted media reports that President Banda influenced the sale of 1,500 acres of land at an exorbitant price of US$15 million to Meanwood Property Development Limited without following tender procedure.

NAPSA director general Stanley Phiri said at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the President had nothing to do with the transaction because the authority operates within the confines of corporate governance structures.

“We wish to categorically state that the issue of any external influences from anywhere including the Republican President does not arise at all. Further, the board of management of NAPSA operates within the confines of corporate governance structures with no influence from the President or indeed any other external bodies,” Mr Phiri said.

He said NAPSA operates in line with the Public Procurement Act number 12 of 2008.

Mr Phiri said in the case of Meanwood Property Development Limited, the final approval was given at a Management Procurement Committee (MPC) meeting held on December 30 last year after exhausting all the necessary processes.

He said during the period between December 7 last year and January 24 this year, the MPC was mandated to preside over such matters until the release of a circular on January 24 which introduced a committee to take over the functions of the central tender committee.

Mr Phiri said through laid down procedures and investment guidelines which govern all investments of the authority including the Levy Business Park, Nyumbayanga housing project, Kalulushi Housing project and others, President Banda has not in any way influenced the decisions of NAPSA investment plans.

He said in the case of Meanwood, an independent valuer was engaged through a selective tender to value the land and give an indicative selling price.

“On this basis, the authority proceeded to negotiate the price and purchased 1,500 acres in a prime area near the new American Embassy, after the due process was exhausted,” he said.

Mr Phiri said it is unfortunate that the Post newspaper did not even attempt to approach NAPSA for clarification on the matter and the authority had difficulties appreciating the basis of the allegations.

He said NAPSA management would have gladly explained the issue to the Post about the futile efforts it has made and continues to make in trying to acquire land from the Ministry of Lands and the Lusaka City Council.

Mr Phiri said the NAPSA management committee presides over all matters, which are discussed at length before decisions are made.

He said the issues need further input and are taken to the next level as per NAPSA regulations, which later refer them to relevant committees of the board.

“Above all, NAPSA recognises and abides by its mission and vision statements which call on it to prudently administer the members’ funds and add the highest value for the benefit of contributors and pensioners,” he said.

On Tuesday, The Post newspaper published a story suggesting that President Banda influenced the sale of 1,500 acres of prime land to Meanwood Property Development Limited in a bid to raise funds for campaigns.

Meanwhile, MMD National chairman Michael Mabenga says the MMD has never received money from any parastatal for party activities or campaigns.

He said in an interview yesterday that there was no truth in the statement alleging that MMD intends to obtain money from NAPSA for campaigns.

“Getting money from private institutions is not one of the ways the party raises its money,” he said.

He said NAPSA is a parastatal and government does not interfere in its operations. Mr Mabenga said the MMD treasurer Suresh Desai has been tasked to raise funds for the convention.

He said the party has not even drawn the budget for the convention as it is still looking for money.

“If MMD had money to hold the convention, it would not be bothered to hold fundraising events,” he said.

He challenged those who are making the allegations that the party is making money from NAPSA to produce evidence so that they can be proven wrong.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

24 COMMENTS

  1. Yes the President had a hand in the scam, the MD confirmed. Sir, MD, immediately you get fired just like mulongoti. For you since you are not nominated MP, you might end up losing your cituzenship too. So bwana MD you are just protecting your back against this RBish president.

  2. Even well known criminals have always said they have never stolen, provide evidence if you insist that I’m one, they will challenge you. Well I trust the POST,if some of you hate that, it is your birth right to do so. The POST has always proved you critics wrong.You will remember very well that govt thru its mouthpieces refuted reports on take over of finance bank. What really happened, govt took over finance bank. So lets wait the truth is yet to be unveiled.

  3. #3 Bingael Mkwala
    Spare yourself some heartache.Mmembe’s shinda paper is like a rabid dog trying to drag everyone to its self inflicted death.Let ‘honcho boy’ membe name his source other than hide behind a vail of secrecy.

  4. Dare the Post Newspaper and you will just get embarrassed. The best thing you can do is nullify the dubious deal and shut up

  5. #3, just a correction before you mislead us all. Government did not take over Finance Bank as in the sense portrayed by Post. The sense portrayed by the Post was that government had nationalised Finance Bank and in their usual style they polished the story up with innuendos about a run on the bank and its imminent collapse. As everybody knows now with the benefit of hindsight, the Post was wrong as nothing of the sort happened.
    I have said and I repeat, if you are serious about asking the people of Zambia to vote you into power, start by learning to tell the truth. Lies and distortions will simply continue to decampaign you, which you prefer to call rigging in the PF dictionary.

  6. So people in Zambia are so dull that they cant realise that The Post fabricates stories. People can’t read between the lines. They can’t even relate what was written yesterday to what is written today. They can’t reason on their own but let Mmembe reason for them. Its a shame.

  7. U wouldnt agree even if RB had a hand in this whole scam!Which thief agrees he is one? Even Mabenga still insists he is innocent despite being found guilty. Just secure pipo’s life savings ba NAPSA n no meddling in politics

  8. i find it very disturbing when people call others fools or iliterate when they differ in there opinions.i dont think the post has done anything wrong by warning us of the misdids at NAPSA. Dont u think that even if NAPSA have all the right to aquare land from anywhere.bt dont u see that the money involved is just to much for 1500 acre of land at $15m that is alot my friends.such transactions causes suspicions.let us compare the people who read thru that papers are well placed people,from all sectors of the economy on daily basis.u can just see there sales they are over 10 times above the times and Daily mail combined.so belittling those who read the Paper that exposes the truth is an insult to zambians.if that was not said by Post i dont think times or daily were going to say about Napsa

  9. RB’s SON BRAGS AT POLO GRILL PUB!!
    President Rupiah Banda’s second born son James, aka Jimbo last month went into a tirade at one of Lusaka’s nightclubs Polo Grill showing off that his father will win the upcoming elections this year unless PF leader Michael Sata had enough Dollars to match what they[Banda camp] have.
    He further claimed that his father had a Billion US dollars which was delivered to him by the Chinese Prime minister in his last visit to Zambia 3 months ago. The usually calm and shy gentleman, James seemed to have imbedded one too many at time around and found himself in a heated argument with some PF sympathizers. It had to take State house Chief of Staff, Austin Sichinga to calm him down.

  10. Again its names from Eastern Province like NAPSA director general Stanley Phiri, defending Rupiah Banda just because this MMD scheme of rooting and stealing our public money was done through President Banda’s tribesman Zulu.TRIBALISM AT WORK!!! Surely our money is not safe at all!!!!!!!

    This is a very very sad event unfolding in our country as it is being run by MAFIAs through tribalism spearheaded by the highest authority in the land.

    NAPSA director general Stanley Phiri surely you will be prosecuted for this case of reaping our public companies like NAPSA, our future is not safe now. You typical African.

    Help me, am vomiting now because of this nauseating corruption going in my country, we really need the ACC, DEC and the Police to move in but… WE ARE NOT SURE…

  11. Continued……

    I meant, WE ARE NOT SURE because the ACC, DEC and police are MMD stooges now, should we create another wing, may be the Zambian intelligence will help us Zambians to protect our public properties in Zambia, am not sure?

    The only solution to stop this injustices in Zambia vote out Rupiah Banda and Kunda at a very very fast speed otherwise our public money is becoming personal money of the MMD leadership and President Banda in particular which shouldn’t be!!!!!!!

    Our Lord should keep safe former Attorney General Mumba Malila, and Task Force Chairman Nkole, so that they will come prosecute these naked cases of corruption of Rupiah Banda and his MMD tribesmen. For sure they will prosecute these cases …………… ………. ……

    Help, help, help…

  12. It was a shame reading about the jailing of Charles Taylor’s son of Liberia being jailed in the USA for crimes against humanity that were committed in Liberia. This son of Taylor was educated in the USA but why he turned into a murderer God knows better.

    History may repeat itself in Zambia, Henry, James President Banda’s sons are not helping him in governing Zambia in a democratic way. They could have helped President Banda in strengthen the ACC, DEC and the Police in fighting corruption in Zambia, but alas since they came in Zambia from the USA they have been named in all sorts of corrupt cases like the Maize imports RP regarding ZAMTEL sale e.t.c

    These sons of our President have experienced true democracy in the USA but they are encouraging crap type in Zambia…

  13. Stanely, we wait after RB has left office for you to spill the beans. As for VJ Rigger(What a stupi d name), dont forget that this type of iformation is usually leaked by very junior clerks.

  14. @15 People never learn. Who ever thought Muamar Gaddafi would a fugitive in his own country? Those who surround our leaders are like flies milling around a lump of faeces- they dont care about the stench(corruption).

  15. The plane landed in DRC on its way to Luapula province, gues what? a bunch of Dollar was given out, you know by who. He is on rampage rooting and amashing wealth. No windfall tax. is it for nothing. Wake up poor Zambians, there will be nothing for your children.

  16. But this napsa deal thing stinks!!!! Its just a matter of time before hell is let loose. 15mita dollars. I see some semblance with RP capital deal here.

  17. Please do not make the ordinary citizenry swallow deception as truth. Wait and the truth will come out of NAPSA

  18. Well lets see what development NAPSA puts up in IBEX hill..more silly house I guess…poor fellows they have too much money..anyhow news is that Joesph Jalasi from statehouse was the broker for this deal he was sent by HE to negotiate the entire transaction and told Stanley a dull FD from zisc..small wonder all competition was dropped…as for the for Little Fleddies paper the vuvuzela for PF it long lost its crediblity when it lost the plot now its just a campaign manager but come 2012 it will remain crying foul with the fat desk ,lawyer

  19. Have the politicians ever accepted the truth, especially african tin pots? Open your eyes people, it’s only this continent where the president and his ministers never do anything wrong and all suspicions are bent on destroying their reputation. It’s a curse being black!!!!

  20. All these people attacking the Post, why didn’t they explain to us who contribute to NAPSA about this suspicious deal? Why didn’t they advertise the way they always do? If the Post did not publish the story, were we going to know about this scandal? Zambians lets not just condemn for the sake of looking intelligent, lets guard this country’s resources, this Govt does not care about the poor. Pensioners are not paid in time, but there is so much money to buy land at a suspicious price. Thanks Post, it’s very annoying to me as a contributor.

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