MMD in NAPSA fund-raising scam

MMD in NAPSA fund-raising scam
By Staff Reporters
Tue 01 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT

SENIOR members of the MMD have exposed an election campaign fund-raising land scandal at the National Pensions Scheme Authority. The MMD members said “scandalous” transactions at NAPSA, which President Rupiah Banda wanted to use to raise campaign funds, were worrying.

The sources said President Banda was using his friends to mobilise funds from parastatals for campaigns, but the money was not being paid to the party. They said the latest transaction involved President Banda’s tribesman and proprietor of Meanwood Property Development Limited, Robinson Kaleb Zulu.

The sources said Meanwood Property Development Limited was selling land to NAPSA at a cost of about US $15 million (about K75 billion).

“With the influence of the President, NAPSA has signed a contract with Meanwood to buy land at an exorbitant price. Though NAPSA does not have immediate plans to use that land, the firm was compelled to buy it from a private entity at that price. If NAPSA, as a state institution, got land from the Ministry of Lands or Ministry of Local Government and Housing through the councils, the cost would have been minimal compared with Meanwood’s,” the sources said.

“There is something scandalous about this transaction because there wasn’t even a tender process. Worse still, us, as the party, are not receiving this money meant for our campaigns.”

When contacted yesterday, Zulu denied being among the friends of President Banda involved in re-election fund-raising.

“I am totally not aware, absolutely,” Zulu said. “I have had no meetings with H.E. His Excellency relating to that. The only time I met H.E. was during the N’cwala annual traditional ceremony of the Ngoni people last weekend.”

Asked about the NAPSA transaction, Zulu said it was just a commercial transaction that did not have any bearing on fund-raising for President Banda’s campaign.

“It’s a commercial transaction, it’s old. I did a commercial transaction with NAPSA and it was approved by the board and it has no bearing on the political processes. I have no political leaning.” Zulu said he was ready to meet anyone and explain the Meanwood-NAPSA transaction.