Friday, March 29, 2024

ZCCM-IH given a 7 day ultimatum to implement RB’s directive on housing

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Deputy Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Jazzman Chikwakwa
Deputy Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Jazzman Chikwakwa

GOVERNMENT has given the ZCCM-IH a seven-day ultimatum to implement President Banda’s directive to write off outstanding balances on over 3,386 housing units offered for sale to sitting tenants.

Deputy Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Jazzman Chikwakwa said in a statement issued in Kitwe yesterday that ZCCM-IH should execute the presidential directive within seven days, failure to which disciplinary measures would be taken against the institution.

“All those responsible for implementing the President’s directive must do it immediately, especially ZCCM-IH. They should implement the directive within seven days,” MrChikwakwa said.

He warned that Government will not fail to take necessary action against any officer who will employ delaying tactics in the implementation of the President’s directive.

“All those who will be found to be delaying the presidential directive, including chief executive officers, should be immediately reported to the relevant authorities without fail. This is a presidential directive and it should be treated with respect and urgency,” he said.

Mr Chikwakwa said President Banda is working hard to ensure that people throughout the country have decent accommodation.

Mr Chikwakwa said Government is implementing projects in all parts of the country intended to alleviate poverty and improve lives, especially in rural areas.

[pullquote]“All those who will be found to be delaying the presidential directive, including chief executive officers, should be immediately reported to the relevant authorities without fail. This is a presidential directive and it should be treated with respect and urgency,” he said.[/pullquote]

On April 16, President Banda directed that outstanding balances on over 3, 386 housing units on the Copperbelt be written off and sitting tenants be given letters of sale with immediate effect.

The President also directed Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Maxwell Mwale to instruct the ZCCM-IH to immediately write off the outstanding balances on housing units offered for sale to sitting tenants in six towns on the Copperbelt.

The directive covers 1,518 houses in Mufulira’s Kankoyo, Kantanshi and Mupambe townships and 1,011 in Luanshya.

In Kitwe, outstanding balances on 732 houses will be written off in Wusakile, Mindolo, Nkana East, Nkana West and Chamboli.

About 92 sitting tenants in Kalulushi and Chambishi are expected to benefit from this directive.
In Chililabombwe, outstanding balances on 31 houses will be written off.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

29 COMMENTS

  1. Crazy economics and Management.

    Cheap politicking strategy borrowed from the short crook FTJ’s book of thuggery.

  2. Why did he have to wait for the Election year … typical of Chiluba’s strategy where he had to sell the housing units during the Election period last time. I hope the affected people will not sink so low!

  3. Why did they not do it before ?
    only a political scheme but its too late
    those crooks and thieves will be kicked out…

    why the govt has not given Kansanshi mining (FQM) a seven-day ultimatum to pay zccm-ih (20% kansanshi) its dividends ?
    indeed Kansanshi Mining (FQM) owes ZCCM-ih $ 400 M …
    and ZCCM-ih owes the govt $ 300 M but has no money to pay back its debt
    and Musokotwane the crook needs to borrow money to make ends meet !

    and what about financial penalties for tax fraud and embezzlement (Mopani/Glencore) ? State and the zccm-ih (10% Mopani) has been despoiled

    Musokotwane has known it since 2009
    And that crook has not given Glencore a seven-day ultimatum to recover tax fraud ??

    They let zccm-ih in agony and the foreign companies are very pleased

  4. Thought these houses where sold to the sitting tenants more than 12 years ago. Only a dundahead like Rupiah will think this punchline can sell, well not after 12 years.
    Rupiah is a fool, to think that will mean anything to us. What means something is WHY the so called economic growth and positive Indicators has no direct bearing on the Urban and Rural folks. It pains me in that while other Countries employment levels stand at >92% its the excat opposite in Zambia. It pains me to see the hopelessness on the faces of the Zambian youths. This cannot be allowed to Continue, we need change and need it now

  5. Do Kubeba RB!! He he he he he ke ke ke ke. Well done boss. Dont worry about paranoid pipo including bishops. They have never witnessed such blessing from an incumbant wise man who cares for the poor. Election or no election, a good gesture is a good gesture and should be acknowledged. Well done boss!!!

  6. Doing things the rupiah way does not exhibit prudent and sound management of national affairs. Even if the directive over houses was well intended to “empower” Zambians, the ultimatums being issued to ZCCM smell of disingenuousness and are full of the political expedience connotations.
    Rupiah is the weakest president Zambia has ever had and has grossly cheapened the presidency out of desperation to hang on to power.

  7. George Mpombo says: ‘This gimmick is cantankerous and symptomatic of the foot jerks of a dying stallion. You see this incessant appetite for politics of appeasement is frivolous and archaic. RB is really callous, irrational and dim-witted and will stop at nothing to keep his pockets lined and his bum warm’.

  8. Rupiah is creating a problem by trying to solve one. Why didn’t he give these people money to finish paying for their houses, it’s like the company involved is not happy.
    VOTE-BUYING IS SHOWING RUPIAH’S DESPERATION.
    Get the gifts but in the booth ni donch kubeba.
    Vote PF.

  9. It does not matter if houses are given in an election year or first year of ffice.. give the people whats theirs… let people enjoy whats theirs…!!

  10. Good afternoon

    I’m also not quite sure if this is generally the right strategy of dealing with the problem of housing debts.

    I presume ZCCM-IH is an independent housing institution with enough experience and competence to handle it’s own affairs. Why should it be put under pressure by the president to act on a directive with ultimatum? In a real democracy like Germany or the US, the national leadership would rather play a passive role and step aside to allow the landlord and tenants to enter a dialogue and reach a reasonable agreement within their own timescale.

  11. …………good work really good work but then again is this strategy going to have an impact on the elections….who knows. Give the people the houses and until they get the title deeds nothing remains credible. Just one of those promisory notes hey!

  12. ” ZCCM-IH should execute the presidential directive within seven days, failure to which disciplinary measures would be taken against the institution. ”

    This is clear presidential overreach, and a blatant abuse of office for electoral purposes.

    The problem here is a general one – the separation of the powers of state, and the separation of the state from the government.

    As a holding company for shares, it is not part of the government but of the state. ZCCM-IH would serve past, present and future governments. As such, it should not be abused by this present government.

    The same thing with the civil service. They have a professional job to do, and other than political appointment of it’s head to ensure compliance with policy, should be free from goverment interference.

  13. 17 # I have always held you in high esteem and read your posts with enthiusiasm hoping for some enlightment. However your post at 17#…. you refer to ZCCM IH as a housing institution? That is displaying quite an unacceptable level of igorance for someone I thought was well informed. Please google ZCCM IH!

    • That’s why I started my statement with “I presume…” – no doubt I took the “IH” in ZCCM-IH for an abbreviation for a department of ZCCM responsible for housing. You call it ignorance. No beef, I can live with that.

  14. Its very saddening to see some corners of society celebrating this embarrassing event on one of Zambia’s longest standing companies. Mortgages have to be paid and telling a company what to do is just wrong. is the government paying for the loses ZCCM will have to incur due to this unthought over decision? is it then going to condemn ZCCM for being unprofitable? this is ridiculous and and dangerous politiking. Beware of who you support, this should be done as good will by the ZCCM board, not as a directive from Rupiah, he’ll be surprised even the Kitwe residents will reject him because once this is through, he won’t change his mind because they dind’t vote for him !! 
    lets see, how this plays out in the long run!!

  15. During Kafupi’s era I bought a house for K21 Million which would normally have cost me K500 Million to build. Though I was a beneficiary I don’t support the idea of handouts. These are the same things which brought the country down under Kaunda. One of Chiluba’s campaign issues was to cut subsidies. Kaunda’s subsidies included mealie meal coupons and farming inputs – meant to be very productive, but still brought the country to it’s knees. Now ii’s houses? How are we going to build more houses for the future generation?

  16. I’ve run short of words:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((:((%-(%-(%-(%-(%-(%-(%-(%-(%-(%-(#:-s#:-s#:-s#:-s#:-s#:-s#:-s#:-s

  17. This is was one stream of revenue for ZCCM-HL. There’s the entity can do but to make adjustments as well. I recommend you start laying off workers now or file for bankcruptcy and padlock the gates to the company.

  18. The amounts outstanding on each house are peanuts. Zambians are proud people who could have willingly paid off the balances if they had the money. What Zambians need are jobs. The President is trying to improve things. But unless development is focussed on improving the lot of the most vulnerable, through creation of approriate economics participation activities, we shall soon start handing out coupons. Mr Chikwakwa must wait for the Board of ZCCM-IH to approve the Presidential directive. This is the way companies operate. They are not tutembas.

  19. while the principle of economic and social empowerment of citizens is right, the timing of the presidential decree is totally wrong. For your information, ZCCM-IH is struggling to meet its statutory obligations amid a huge debt by government and MFNP has indicated it will not pay.. Now the institution is being told to get rid of its housing stock, which has been a source of income. ladies and gentlemen, our pension benefits are under a serious threat by these political gymnastics- NAPSA, MUKUBA PENSION, WORKERS COMPENSATION, LASF and even PSPF

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