Minister of Justice Sebastian Zulu has said the repossession of 75 percent shares in Zamtel from LapGreen Networks of Libya is non-negotiable. Mr Zulu said as far as Government is concerned, there are “no exit barriers” on the reversal of the sale of Zamtel.
The minister said Government will not negotiate with LapGreen over the plans to repossess the shares because the contract was null and void from the outset. Mr Zulu said in an interview yesterday that Government will soon repossess the 75 percent shares from LapGreen and float them to Zambians.
He said this follows Cabinet resolution on the matter. The minister said Government does not risk paying LapGreen any money as compensation once their shares in Zamtel are repossessed. Mr Zulu said this is so because LapGreen was corruptly awarded the contract by the MMD government, adding that there is documentary evidence to that effect.
Last week, former Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane warned that Government risks paying LapGreen between US$400 million and US$1 billion if it reverses the sale of Zamtel.
But Mr Zulu said Dr Musokotwane is entitled to his own opinion but that Government is unaware of compensation money that will be paid to LapGreen after it repossesses Zamtel.
“Government decided to reverse the contract and take back the 75 percent shares sold to LapGreen because of fraud and many other irregularities that accompanied the contract.
“So, there is nothing like negotiating with LapGreen. We are taking back the shares and if there will be ‘any’ negotiation, it will be to determine whether they (LapGreen) deserve any compensation or not,” he said.
Mr Zulu said LapGreen Networks and RP Capital were supposed to be disqualified initially from the bidding process because they did not meet the criteria set by the Zambia Development Agency.
“The evaluator and contractor should have been disqualified in the first place but because of corruption, they were allowed to do the work. So, how do we compensate them when the contract was null and void?” Mr Zulu said.
Efforts to get a comment from the Libyan ambassador on the matter proved futile. Dr Musokotwane’s mobile line went unanswered after several attempts. The Zulu probe team has recommended that apart from re-taking the 75 percent stake in Zamtel, all top directors and senior managers must have their contracts immediately terminated.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Warn and Caution ! Lyonse. Get some action going not just talk please . Pf your intent is good but it has been all talk ! Soon Liato will walk . This rushing to the press should stop.
We need our company back asap
alta – Kan nie wag vir Jana en Piet se fotos nie.Dankie vir jou uitstekende en utreis proffesionele werk. Jy het so n aangename persoonlikheid wat dit vir almal maklik en plesierig maak om saam met jou te werk.
Is it just me or indeed this Government is sending mixed messages. At some point I thought they said cabinet has not made a decision, and now this guy sounds like they have made a decision. So who is telling the truth. Can the government look direct and decisive and politicking and just testing the water to see where the chips fall.
If you want to repose go ahead and write to them and give them a deadline to respond. Lets not drag this issue for years through your indecisiveness, like a teenage girl. You are the government for goodness sake and act like one.
How old are you??? Don’t take it as Gospel truth when the media tells you that there is no Cabinet meeting… I came here to see your comment coz I know you are the only Ant-Zambians who doesn’t come out with opinions but always with Liquid brains… We NEED 75% in fact 90% if possible…. You have made me hate the man in your Foto. Sorry
its getting boring now.. just the other day this baboon was saying they will repossess if negotiations fails. Today its another story. you are becoming an embarrassment to the the general public… High-time you start to talk about other things pertaining the development of Zambia.
Wapya munzi! Get it please. When a transation is fraudulent it becomes null and void right ab initio (right from the start). Simple! Even my son who is in his 1st year of a law degree told me that. When you involve yourself in a fraudulent transaction you do not even deserve compensation. The deal is tainted with illegality. Kwamana basa! Finito! Period!
Your government sold Zamtel and Lap green bought it: who defrauded who – GRZ or Lap Green the buyer? Think through these things.
but kwena chi sebastian uli chipuba,do you really think that you can just reposess the shares and LAP green will just say ok,tayenda,thank you very much.why do we have old arrogant bustards in parliament?they simply do not have an understanding of modern day economics.muli fipuba sana,reposess and see what happens you lumpens.a govt of old ass niggas with very high temparements.
its only a dull person who can think that there is literally no repacation the company was not sold in a good faith Lapgreen already knons that Palibe chabo na bakabolala bazabo bene Dora,Henry and Bwezani
Yaba I really hope the PF government knows what its doing because from what I recall Zamtel was poorly managed for many years and needed recapitalization ASAP.The deal with Lapgreen was good and everyone will tell you the service has improved.Government taking over will just take us backwards.It will take us back to the days of going to govt buildings to make international calls through secretaries for ‘free’. I’m not sure this is a stock I would like to buy.When PF leaves government will the next guys again sell Zamtel?
Yes, the next govt will privatise ZAMTEL. Without a doubt!
What services have improved. Zamtel services have always been the more stable services compared to other telephone and data services providers. By a Zamtel customer myself, I can tell you customer service at Zamtel has gone down. The story for recapitalization must also have been fabricated. Tell me which figures you are comparing. NON! you are basing you argument on what the guys that sold Zamtel told you!
There is total chaos in the PF Govt. Sebastian Zulu was Chairman of an Innquiry to probe as to how 75% shares of Zamtel was granted to Lapgreen Network. Zulu’s role was to convey his findings to President Sata for consideration by the Cabinet. Zamtel and other IT companies are not under the Zulu’s jurisdiction. This creates total confusion in the PF Govt. Comments from the Vice-President would have carried weight because this #.2 Office is expected to report to the nation only after extensive consultation with all the stakeholders. PF is playing politics, but has not given a deep thought to the plight of ZAMTEL workers. Mweo a Zulu, nkhuli ya ndalama imutwaleni ku Muchinga kuliye na mbumba zanu. Look at his face. Ati kuyipa moyo bati.
#7 Good points. This is not as easy as selling a tomato and then going back to grab it back. This issue is more complicated and convoluted and this process is all politically driven and we all no than politics change. Next party wins sells Zamntel, and next party wins grabs back zamtel and the cycle repeats, where do you draw the line?
POST Newspaper and Fred Mm’embe are running a failed ISP that has failed to offer decent service to even themselves, they can’t even host their own site as an ISP and he is busy thinking that if ZAMTEL is reversed, the majority stake will be sold to them. I ask what will stop the next party in government to grab it from them too.
This is issue is complicated than simple minds on this blog think
If LAP Green has issues let them confront RB and Siliya
Lets wait and see how things will unfold rather than make pre-judice on the matter. I think as zambians lets remember that things went wrong for some time and to correct that, it may take a while just like it is easy to destroy and difficault to build. its not right to judge the new govenment within minuntes when the past Gov, it took them three years of destruction. we must move as a team with an objective and not just critics all the time.
these pipo they just come up with new statements everyday, do they even consult each other realising to the press, the other day one was toking about negotiations, today the same pipo are saying its non negotiable, who knows what they will say tomorrow. why crying for a company u cant manage, technology has reached great heights, telecom companies shud not be run by governments to ensure that they move with advancing technology, the GRZ government will just make ZAMTEL stagnant.
well done PF. It is our Zamtel . If LapGreen has any concern, let them go to RB and Dollar Siliya period.
Has this report been published yet? I shall comment after I read through it.
#11 what destruction actually happened in the last 3 years.All I heard were good inflation figures,bumper harvests,infrastructure development.Please someone enlighten me.The only thing I hear is this and that minister was found with bicycles or motorbikes.Is that the destruction we are referring to?
I m getting really sick and tired of this Zamtel thing.
# 15 madea, i’m sure you have not been to zambia for along time, not to have seen all your relatives are well off such that they dont update you at all.
So let me get this right…. the “Justice Minister” is saying there will be no due process?
This stupidity will cost taxpayers a lot of money. Watch this space.
I agree with #7. Zamtel was a mess before.
#3 MMD BOOTLICKER IT WAS 2DAYS AGO THAT THE CABINET CAME UP WITH THE DECISION OF SEVERING THE SALE. IT IS AFTER THE REPORT CONTENTS WERE TABLED. NOW WE ARE TAKING. MMD THOUGHT WOULD BE IN POWER FOR GOOD AND MANIPULATED CITIZENS LIKE THEY WERE THEIR BABIES AT ON THEIR BREASTS. WHATEVER LOSES WE INCUR IN THIS ARTICLE PROCESS, WE WILL SEE THROUGH.
yesterday, one Mr. thought brought issues to the fore. I am afraid that GRZ will get embarrassed on this one. i haven’t seen their report but it seems little bits the media is dancing on does not hold water at all. If you want to know the valuation value from RP go to ZDA and you will find it well in access of the figure government is talking about. like some bloggers have said. let GRZ make both the RP capital valuation report and their own report public. I am sure our good president hasn’t read even the RP capital valuation. There is also a report done by EY, let GRZ release that too so that we can the compare it with RP report, GRZ cannot be a player and a referee in this matter. I know GRZ mean well but the due process should be followed.
By the way didn’t our good president order the full report to be published the past weekend? Why the delay?
They are scared of GK because he is mentioned in the report that he was paid for zamtel consultancy when its not true and if its published – more money in GK’s pocket..these fools
@17 note that #15 is asking about the destructtion and so answere him by tabulating the said destruction and not assuming #15 is out of the country. I would also want to see the destruction coz all i have seen is 1. bumper harvest. 2 infrastructure development in progress and completed(which some1 is busy naming and his juniors commissioning). 3 inflation @ single digit. 3 doubled Foreign reserves at US2.7bn..4 in time FISP distribution(not now). 5 Increased DFI. 6 oneness as Zambians etc. So tell us the destruction so that we prepare.
Zulu and PF should know that this is not UNIP days of just reposses. Even if the deal was corupt becareful how you move cause you end up loosing more. Dynamics have changed since UNIP days of Mr Zulu wher you just took possesion. Besides it’s difficult to know where Sata, Zulu and the whole PF stands on this. The government is issuing statements just like Sata’s mouth. In Bemba we have a saying, “Isabi ukubola, bamwena kumutwe”. Rottenness in a fish is known from the head. Sata is the head and this should make it easy to understands the party ad it’s government.
walasa …the head is rotten
..but Lap Green did nothing wrong. They bought a company.
Iwe they did not meet the necessary laid requirements to buy the company, but somehow they got it thats were the issue is
Iyi kampani a zulu, mngoni muli apa ni ya seo ma Zambians. Kumbukilani kwamene tachokela PTC mpaka lero aba ma bunu atole tyala…yayi neo!!!
We Zambian are not so serious when it comes to national issue…why is it that we have so many camps pushing their own agendas concerning this rotten deal….do you people honestly think the Libyan government would let a firm from Zambia rob its people if at all we invested in that country under the same circumstances? Let us guard our country Jealously…..
We are guarding our country jealously against Bemba thieves!!
any development plan frm pf, so far not heard any other than zamtel corruption and lap green. no mention of corruption in appointing relatives to key positions without advertising, , ,
or hire from Canada if all it takes is a new mindset at the helm of ZAMTEL. BTC, Botswana’s telco has just hired a British guy to take charge as its CEO because they could NOT find the best citizen to run it for them. What is critical are the guidelines to be given to the CEO on what is expected of him, and not a blank page just because he is white.
Mweo bantu Gadafi mwine wa LAP green ali kuni? emupaya abululu bake.Lomba seo tichite chinji? Tolani kampani baba Zulu. amalume a Bwezani na amama a Dora elakwa ngako kutola katundu ya pa munzi kupasa bantu atyala kuti anyopole ndalama zasu…shaa!!
It does not matter whether we make a loss or not so long it will benefit the Zambians at the end of the day….Its seems some of you would rather foreigner make profits and get away with it….while people in villages are dieing from curable diseases…… Traitors!!!
It is you who is the traitor. Any money coming in will go to Muchinga province, for the benefit of one tribe. Is that fairness? Better a Libyan devil than a Bemba thief!
koma munkale be careful a zulu ndaba namwe musokoneze vintu!
“Mr Zulu said this is so because LapGreen was corruptly awarded the contract by the MMD government, adding that there is documentary evidence to that effect.”
No Mr. Zulu it was corruptly awarded by the Zambian Government.
# 31 ni chendi mkwasu boma ni boma kuliye MMd olo PF gavament yayi…ni boma ya Zambia. koma zivute. neo nsambamo lomba!
boma ya zambia yagulisa kampani…boma ya zambia soti ikuti yai….ku Libya gadafi echifwa koma boma ya libya iliko. mwaona lomba mweo anyamata za mwacita…chiputa ngako…anyandule mweo, anyongolosi mwati siya m’mavuto.
mweo bantu…” walya kake aliye mulandu…..” tolani kampani a Zulu. ni yasu yasu Zamtelo.
payakine pogulisa kampani enze kolwe anyamata…walwa…zechimwa ma kachasu wa chizungu!
Too much emotion and irrationality being exibited by Government officials. On Friday, this same Minister, in his own owrds, said they would negotiate with LAP Green and in the event negotiations failed, they would repossess. Now he is saying something else simply because Mmembe phoned State House and State House reprimanded him. how do we progress as a nation like this?
Why is this issue not going to the courts? How can he talk about re-posession before the issue even lands in court? How can the executive play the role of the judiciary? If laws have been broken and solid evidence of fraud exists then this should be taken to court.
The fact that these statements are being made outside of the judicial process shows that the government has a hidden agenda of its own. It seems like it is not committed to justice here. But then again it could be too early to judge. Also we are waiting for an independent report from another evaluator to show whether ZAMTEL was indeed undervalued.
:o
When you buy stolen property, you must weigh the risk of losing your money. Corrupt enterprises must not be allowed to excel.
#17 NN please list the cases of destruction . #22 zioneke and I are waiting…..We can list positive things MMD has done but you can’t list the cases of destruction?
If the ZAMTEL is true, correct and valid thn ZAMTEL WAS NOT SOLD anf therfore there is no even “reverse” (hw do u divorce whn u were neva married???) bt jst tell the lap green and rp capitals 2 talk 2 rb and ds- these guys will giv thm their money. I too I’m shocked with the report, some Zambians kwena tuli fipuba, no logic and some bloggers u r even supporting this non-sense. Rb and ds 2getha with chi musokotwane na gk imitwe tashalebomba- look at the long term effects and not jst here and nw- iyo kwena mwalishilya bane… Abo ba green laps kubebafye ati kabiyeni ku nganda bane, twatutela…chapwa…
# 35, you have “broken” my ribs. Hahaha!
Fred Kaponya Membe is running this country, and ZULU is jst politicking he does not KNOW what is Membe’s interest in ZAMTEL we are aware that Membe had interest of buying shares in ZAMTEL that is why he connived with Mumba Malila attorney general then to link that MOU to the POST NEWS PAPER. How can the country be controlled by the POST NEWS PAPER while zambians claims voted a listening Preso what does he listen when he is a waste dictator who is abusing pipo at will, he cheats about HH that he is corrupt when HH challenge him to investigate and tell the Zambian pipo the truth about him, SATA answers arrogantly saying HH’s letter is useless so who is useless the one who abuse someone by cheating about him to the public for political gain or the one who says investigate me.
# 45 senior citize….” walya nganga ndiye walya nkhuku baba”…. zamtelo ni nganga ya ziko basi mwapasa opita na njila chule !!
I am requesting that PF government also publishes the RP Capital Valuation Report. People need to have full information on this matter.
A Mfumu ya Ndodo…. Thanks for making me remember this rich language..lol !!!
Congrats Larry from KZN. Hope you have much joy with your new IPAD.Many thanks to bruoibdy as well , I had great fun doing the hunt.When is the next one? Reply
Is there any credible company out there that uses POST ISP, apart from Fred Mmembe himself and his buddies?
Oh, by the way that is a rhetorical question. If Mmembe thinks that he can own ZAMTEL after failing to run his communication company so called WIMAX only INTERNET company, he is mistaken. They might have destroyed a good airline (ROAN Air) and got away with it. ZAMTEL is a whole different kettle of fish. Don’t think ZAMTEL will revive his failed ISP business.
There is a law of economics which severely punishes and there is no appeal court when this law dishes out its punishment.
And this law says you cannot take something out without putting anything in. Economic graveyard is full of bones that decided to disobey this law.
People who appear so convinced of fraud and corruption, like @42FX, where are you getting the facts of this matter to go as far as calling your fellow bloggers “ifipuba” and lacking logic. If indeed it’s from the rhetoric from Sata and his ministers then maybe you need to ask yourself who the “fipuba” are. The Sebastian Zulu is yet to be made public so all those calling for the reversal are doing so on unsubstantiated noises from a Govt known for lies and empty promises. Publish the relevant reports and we can then comment with facts before us.
ZAMBIA NEEDS IT’S COMPANY BACK IN ORDER TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THE FUTURE AND TO STOP OTHER COUNTRIES EXPLOITING THEM. THE SALE WAS CORRUPT AND THE KEY LIES IN THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SONS…. IF YOU SELL THE INTEREST OF YOUR OWN PEOPLE AND COUNTRY TO A FRIEND WHO WANTS TO PROVE TO THE WORLD HE CAN FILL HIS DADDY’S SHOES – THIS IS WHAT YOU GET. PHONE TAPPING CONVERSATIONS OF COMPETITORS AND PEOPLE WHO YOU WANT TO STALK – THIS IS THE START OF WHAT YOU WILL GET AND YOUR LITTLE FRIEND GOT A TAUGHT A LESSON FOR EVER THINKING HE COULD TREAT MY PEOPLE LIKE THEY ARE TO BE EXPLOITED. YES IT WAS A GOOD DEAL FOR THOSE INVOLVED BUT EVEN LIBYA SHOULD UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR CORRUPT LEADERSHIP ALSO AFFECTED US, CUT THE BAD TIES, MAKE GOOD NEW ONES AND LET’S BUILD TOGETHER.
Repossession of 75% shares in Zamtel from Lap Green shouldn’t sound as easy as Mr Zulu and Sata think in the way they dupe Zambians. Much as fraud and corruption marred this transaction and correct measures instituted, repossession has to be paid for by governemnt. To inform Zambians that PFgovt will simply repossess as if its beans bought at Soweto market is totally un true. Lap green invested huge sums of money and infact few companies vied to purchase zamtel because of conditionalities attached to it. No known Zambian company attempted to bid. How are you going to have Zambians bidding to buy Zamtel, what innovative and creativity with high tech value will a Zambian company bring to Zamtel. Above all recapitalisation of company need large sums of money for modern telecomms machinery.
Mr Zulu should throw more solid facts because Libyans wont just walk away and have the right to go all the way to the International Court of Arbtration. This is risky to Zambian investment destination preference in Africa. Huge investment made by Libyans has to be paid back and that is open to negotiations and NOT tell us pokers that its NON NEGOTIABLE.
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Sata and PF we are together in this fight. Give Zamtel back to Zambians. RB and Seliya must give the Libyans their money for its them who ate it and not Zambians. Only a very dull people with no heart for poor Zambians would suport this inspid sale of Zamtel.
This isS**t of teh worst kind. how can you say..”if Lapgren” deserves any compensation? a lwayer can afford to say that…? thast the language FAZ was using on Dario when they fired him. that it was mutual understanding and there was not going to be any compensation. …where in the world can some one who is into business walk out on a contract just like that….? please Zambians are not fools. be real and truthful. paying these guys you will pay them like you are paying dario on behalf of stupid FAZ Ccosting us tax payers billions of kwacha coz of their stupid deliberate mistakes.
PF fools get back the 75% shares at your own peril, Zulu behaving like he never went to school, get those shares and face the wrath of the Libyans
hehehehe..this is a drama at its best..!
we surely got the government we deserved! Next time round people vote with your heads….lets retire this crop of destructive politicians let the young people rule!
I hate being a tax payer because all these guys like this Sebastian “Clueless” Zulu sit in all these commissions and offices making decisions that are costing us more money eventually! Lap green invested in the Zamtel and they are not walking away without their money! Too many morons running the show.
This Zulu chap is being disingenuous at best. You cannot punish LapGreen when they entered into this deal in good faith, whatever incompetencies and wrongdoing by the previous government. From casual observation ZAMTEL is now in a better state than before it was partially privatised.
What Zulu should be doing is investigating those who may have committed fraud, if any, and bringing them to book. Otherwise this reversal nonsense risks plunging Zambia into a real right mess. You cannot, as a Government, just expropriate private property in this day and age. Where is it to stop? Zambian taxpayers will be the victims of this nonsense.
Sebastian Zulu is tired, LAP Green were sold Zamtel by the Zambian government not the MMD government. How can he say LAP Green and RP Capital should have both been disqualified, were RP Capital also bidding to buy Zamtel?! Is this chap a lawyer anyway?
Can PF please start walking the talk…..
FNB ignored these bufoons because they had not yet invested in Finance Bank but not LAP green which has invested so much in the company. LAP green how about throwing a small bomb pa town centre?
Lulu is dreaming , new Libya will not let its assets to be roped by him or his party , we will fight for it till the last drop of our blood
Only a fool can fantasize that Lapgreen will just walk away and cry . . . . Musokotwane warned you – Prepare to pay $400 million upwards for your nonsense. empty tins
why cant these fools just go ahead and repossess the company, fire all employees and re-emply the old dunder heads to just lazy around…instead of just yapping day in day out
kwena ba Zulu nabakwati dementia eeeee; iyooo we want to negotiate, iyooo its non negotiable.
These PF fools need to think before they talk, period.
HiI picked this up on Google Alerts. Thank you for the poistvives re PHezulu. It is even more helpfully to recieve critisim re the Guide in the snake park. I will immediatly react and recitify.Regards Leo
These PF gong’as are full of dementia! Too much Hot air. They must publish all the reports for us to have a fair judgement. COI report, Audit report, RP Capital valuation and companies whobid for Zamtel abd their offers and Deliberations by the ZDA. Then we can talk objectively not based on one sided sided and predetermined COI report.
The whole Zamtel saga proves that our government has no capacity to set strict guide lines when disposing off state enterprises. At the end of the day its the ordinary citizens who will suffer. I urge the govt to be cautious in the whole process of rectifying mistakes made by the previous regime. Like most of the bloggers have clearly stated and I reiterate, the sell of Zamtel is not as easy as selling a tomato. So far our govt has not decisively told us what they intend to do if they were to go ahead and repossess the company. Let this serve as a big lesson for us all and never should we allow transactions to go ahead without out say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oops, i meant ” without our say”
It appears that FX@42 and NN@17 were simply blowing there vuvuzela’s with no real substance to back up the blinkered views. Pub gossip, media (especially that post newspaper) and PF Govt are not to be trusted with their utterance, certainly not as gospel.
some times you wonder, some libyan chap steals money and comes and buys your asset and you praise him for that, nensoni tamwakwata. the bottomline is the assets where not for libyans but some libyan crook who is now probably remaining with a tight skin on his bonzoz. tell us was dora cleared on the understanding of nullity? was the chirwa tribunal completely over turned? some of the chaps blog without facts but the court case is still there. philip musonda is now wondering what next pantu he is no longer getting dubious cases to over turn
foolish zambians sold zamtel and now want to shield reversal by alarming the nation. tell us how much has lapgreen pumped in so that zambia has to repay 1billion usd while the chaps have only paid 15million usd? what type of crookedness is this on the part of rb and his minions.
these are UNIP chaps they still believe people’s property should be kept for them by gov.