Maravi

Mazabuka businessmen to petition Rupiah over Zambia Sugar contracts

Mazabuka businessmen to petition Rupiah over Zambia Sugar contracts
By Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka
Tue 09 Feb. 2010, 09:00 CAT

MAZABUKA District Business Association (MDBA) says it will take advantage of President Rupiah Banda's visit to the district this Saturday to help block attempts by some senior managers at Zambia Sugar Company to deny the association contracts.

Association chairperson, John Kasonde told ZANIS in Mazabuka yesterday that the association was deeply disappointed with a cartel of senior managers who had vowed not to allow his members benefit from the contracts.

Kasonde said the visit by President Banda, who has been instrumental in ensuring that small-scale contractors equally benefit from the contracts and supply of goods and services, had brought relief especially that serious differences had erupted among senior managers at Zambia Sugar following management’s decision to award contracts to the association.

He said his executive was worried because the managers were now threatening violence against the company corporate affairs manager, Lovemore Sievu whom they had accused of having proposed the blacklisting of certain business tycoons from being awarded contracts.

Why should people threaten to kill Sievu? Sievu is not Zambia Sugar Company. Why can’t they approach the MD because Sievu is just an employee who receives directives from the MD. But I can assure you we are not going to rest until we benefit from the cake which was a preserve of the people in the district, said he.

Kasonde said only President Banda could help resolve the problems at Zambia Sugar Company because people with financial muscles had vowed to deal ruthlessly with anyone hindering their progress.

But Sievu refused to comment on threats on his life by some named businesspersons not happy with the change in the procurement system.

Labels: MAZABUKA DISTRICT, SUGAR, ZAMBIA SUGAR COMPANY

posted by MrK @ 5:18 PM