Maravi

Maamba Collieries houses were long sold, says ex-MD

Maamba Collieries houses were long sold, says ex-MD
By Patson Chilemba
Wed 13 July 2011, 12:01 CAT

RUPIAH Banda is not sincere about the 838 Maamba Collieries’ former houses because they were already sold, according to Nchanga member of parliament Wylbur Simuusa.

Commenting on President Banda’s recent announcement of the sale of the houses to residents pegged between K300,000 and K4 million, Simuusa, who served as Maamba Collieries managing director from 2004 to 2007, said the announcement was interesting.

“That time I was there houses were already sold. I even had accommodation problems for my new staff because when I was taken to run the mine I needed to incorporate new members with the old ones. They were coming from Lusaka, Chingola and other operations,” said Simuusa in an interview yesterday.

“We had problems finding accommodation and we even had to rent houses for miners because they houses had bought them already. So which houses is the President talking about which were not sold? He needs to be very clear.”

Simuusa said Maamba Collieries houses were sold along with other mine houses in several parts of the country during late president Frederick Chiluba’s tenure.
“What he should say is the title deeds had not been issued.

It’s been a campaign gimmick that when they delay title deeds then every time there is an election they will come with title deeds and sing a song of houses.

Even here in Chingola title deeds have not been issued since 1997,” Simuusa said.

“The President’s announcement was like he was selling mine houses between K300,000 and K4 million. Let him not use the old tired tricks. Let him clarify, which houses because as far as 2004 when I was there those houses were already sold.”

Simuusa said President Banda should not even boast about finally selling Maamba Collieries because the process to do so had already been embarked on before he became President.

He said there was a decision when he served at the company that Maamba, the only coal mine in the nation, be kept under Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH), by retaining 35 per cent shareholding and offloading 65 per cent.

President Banda last Friday announced the sale of houses belonging to Maamba Collieries at a rally at Kazinze Stadium in Maamba.

Labels: CORRUPTION, HOUSING, LYING, MAAMBA COLLIERY, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:38 PM