ZESCO United Management on Thursday forced management at Ndola’s Kabelenga Lodge to shut down business to the public after their opponents in the CAF champions league match ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast demanded that they book the whole lodge for the team.
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) who were scheduled to hold a provincial meeting at the Lodge with political parties on preventing political violence on Friday was the worst affected as they were told to find an alternative place for their meeting.
YALI officials staying at the same Lodge where their meeting was due to take place were heard protesting to the Manager of Kabelenga Lodge against the decision by management whom they accused of playing double stands and that they were ready to ignore the plight of fellow Zambians who were not even interested in the affaires of Ivorians.
The officials said moving the Provincial meeting from Kabelenga Lodge to Zanji Lodge just because Ivorians do not want to see or mix with any Zambian at the Lodge was unfair to the people who had booked the place for different events.
Meanwhile YALI Governance Advisor Isaac Mwanza confirmed the development and said management has since informed YALI of the decision.
“What is extremely sad is that our staff cannot now freely stay at the Lodge nor allowed to buy or eat any food from the restaurant or buy drinks because of the same complaint from Zesco United,” said Mr. Mwanza
Mr. Mwanza said YALI considered soccer to be a uniting sport which must allow all citizens to freely mix and live together but said it appeared Ivorians are not prepared to coexist and live together with Zambians lodged at the same place.
He added that moving from one place to the other for meals when you can simply eat at your Lodge was costly and that Zambians should learn to respect the contracts of fellow citizens.
Only in Zambia
YOU CHAPS YOU HAVE TO BE SO DULL NOT TO STAND YOUR GROUND – If YOU HAD ALREADY PAID FOR YOUR BOOKING, There IS NO WAY THEY WOULD THROW YOU OUT – SUE THEM FOR MORE THAN JUST THE MONEY YOU PAID – GET THEM SHUT DOWN, THEIR LICENSE WITHDRAWN!!!
I understand Asec Mimosa is soccer team to entertain people and create jobs, business etc. With Asec in town, Ndola businesses of T-shirts and ifitumbuwa has gone up.
However, I don’t know what YALI is for, except extracting allowances from useless meetings at lodge. YALI go sleep in your own homes.
Really laughable …even Mr Fawlty could have handle this better….Kabelenga Lodge management is myopic to say the least who in the long term is going to give them return business? the local customer or a foreign based club from Ivory Coast.
Mweni akaya kapata mukaya! I will never, ever use this unpatriotic lodge.
Definetly they shouldn’t dictate to us on our way of living and rule of law to all clients who are residing or living at the same premises. If such does happen in there country let them know it will never work in Zambia or let them compensate them. Period…!
You.. .Let me tell you that this is business, if they booked the whole lodge, management get more money bcos all empty rooms counts.
Double standards by lodge management, they have definitely lost their good reputation.
Zambians do not know their rights as a consumer even an organisation like YALI IS IN THE DARK!!
Nostradamus you’re very dull.i rest my case
Kanjimaano, the management of the lodge should have simply organised them alternative accommodation at kabelenga lodge which is located in the next Street or another abiya lodge in the same Street.
“Breach of Contract” is when one party fails to perform fully as required by the contract. In this case the organization broke the contract which resulted in the breach. You were staying on the premises and booked a venue, whether it was verbal and you have witnesses or a signed contract (I’m assuming), then its legally binding. If you paid money for the venue that is a contract between yourselves and the organization. It’s illegal to break it unless you did something outrageous that is against the law. You can sue for: The existence of a duty of care, Breach of duty, Damage resulting from the breach, Proximate cause of the wrong doing. Go get them!