Maravi

LAP GreenN sues Zambian government

LAP GreenN sues Zambian government
By Kabanda Chulu
Thu 02 Feb. 2012, 13:00 CAT

LAP Green Networks of Libya has taken the Zambian government to court seeking judicial review to challenge the compulsory acquisition of its 75 per cent shares in Zamtel. And the government will consider offloading a certain percentage of shares in Zamtel to the Zambian public.

In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, justice minister Sebastian Zulu said the government used the land acquisition Act to acquire the 75 per cent shareholding in Zamtel in national interest.

"So LAP Green is challenging that decision to compulsorily acquire those shares and they have made an application for leave seeking judicial review because you first obtain leave. In the first instance, leave was refused when Zamtel accounts were blocked so they went to court and lost and now they have come back asking the court to reverse the decision to acquire the 75 per cent shares," Zulu said.

"It is their application for leave in order to go for trial, I don't know what has happened because I was told the matter will come up today (yesterday) under Judge Woods and now that we have 100 per cent shares, government will decide but probably we shall offload some to the Zambian public."

Zulu said the government was ready to defend its decision in courts of law.

"What do you do when someone wants to fight? You defend yourself, isn't it? And that is what we shall do," he said.

On Sunday, Attorney General Mumba Malila said compensation of terminated contracts would be considered on a case by case basis because some companies have deprived the country of its resources.

Malila, who did not name the companies, said some entities have already commenced legal proceedings against the government.

And Zamtel chairman and chief executive officer Mupanga Mwanakatwe has assured the nation that the entity would continue its network expansion programme and growing of its customer base despite government take over.

"Zamtel will continue to pursue an aggressive growth path and operations have continued to run smoothly since government's takeover," said Dr Mwanakatwe in a statement issued yesterday in Lusaka.

"Our ambitious growth and investment plans remain fully on-track. We are, for instance, currently in the initial phase of replacing our copper wire network with optical fibre network. Our 3G roll-out plan is also on course and very soon we shall be inviting some of our valued customers to participate in product testing."

Labels: LAP GREEN, PRIVATISATION

posted by MrK @ 5:29 PM