Mubuyu Farms director denies owing Barclays
Written by Maluba Jere
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 8:37:15 AM
MUBUYU Farms Limited director Willem Piet Lublikhof has denied owing Barclays Bank US $16,923,389.49. Lublikholf has since applied for an interlocutory order of injunction to maintain a status quo fair to all parties pending the determination of the case.
In an affidavit in reply to an interim order of injunction applied for by joint receiver and managers John Ward and Richard Mazombwe and Barclays Bank Plc, Lublikhof stated that it was incorrect and misleading for the defendants to assert that he had never disputed that the debt owed to Barclays Bank was over US $16,923,389.94.
Lublikhof stated that to the contrary, he was not indebted to Barclays for an amount of over US$ 16 million.
He also claimed that the affidavit in opposition was premised on the alleged debt which he said was factually incorrect and that he had been advised by his lawyers on record that the said amount could not be recovered through the courts in this country, let alone by Barclays Bank.
Lublikhof further stated that he knew that because of the misconception on the part of the Bank that it had in its favour security documents covering the alleged debt, Barclays had been recalcitrant during the negotiations to agree on the settlement package and that it had rejected out of hand his proposal to expunge the debt owed to it.
He also noted that the advertisement of the sale of the charged assets, including those belonging to Nyati Milling Limited [which has also sued as fourth plaintiff], was intended to deceive members of the public, saying Barclays had already a pre-determined scheme to place Mubuyu Farms assets together with his personal assets in the custody of business associates covered or apparently concealed by the veil of incorporation in the case of Barclays Lusaka Nominees Limited and Zambeef Products Plc and as an institution or entity created by statute in the case of National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA).
Lublikholf added that the defendants concealed and refused to disclose the details of the purported sale to NAPSA as if the plaintiffs had no interest in the eventual resolution or otherwise of the Mubuyu Farm’s indebtedness to Barclays Bank.
He further stated that Barclays Lusaka nominees limited holds 32.86 per cent shares in Zambeef Products Plc while NAPSA had also invested in Zambeef.
Lublikholf also claimed that the Erstwhile chief executive officer Aubrey Chibumba orchestrated the purchase of the assets offered for sale by Ward and Mazombwe and that he is a director of the Zambeef Products Plc board of directors.
Labels: BARCLAYS BANK, MUBUYU FARMS
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Sejani accuses MMD of exploiting rural vote
Written by Mwala Kalaluka
Saturday, January 24, 2009 8:58:44 AM
MAPATIZYA UPND member of parliament Ackson Sejani on Thursday accused President Rupiah Banda's administration of having plundered and exploited the rural vote, in view of the torturous poverty levels obtaining there.
And Mazabuka Central UPND member of parliament Garry Nkombo has questioned a decision by the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) to invest members' contributions in a heavily indebted company, Mubuyu Farms in Mazabuka.
Contributing to the debate on President Banda's speech during the opening of the third session of the tenth National Assembly, Sejani said whether they cling to power by hook or crook, the current government would have to one-day account for their exploitative and sinful acts on the rural voters.
Referring to President Banda's address, Sejani said the pledge to prioritise the fight against poverty relates only to the rural areas, which he said were overwhelmed with dehumanising poverty levels.
"The amount of poverty that our people in rural areas are experiencing is torturous," Sejani said. "Where is the money from the HIPC [Highly Indebted Poor Countries completion point]? This government has shortchanged its promises to the rural areas. There is no development in the rural areas and yet MMD won from rural areas. The urban people rejected you."
Sejani urged rural voters to know what they would be voting for next time they cast their votes in any election.
"At the end of my debate, I am going to lay on the table a map produced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), which shows the voting patterns during the last presidential election," Sejani said in an emotive manner.
"The MMD was returned to power on the basis of the rural vote. Once again this government has exploited and plundered the rural vote. I want to interrogate the fundamental paradox, why people who consistently and religiously voted for this government consistently and religiously get a raw deal."
Sejani said he also wanted to interrogate the government why country's rural areas’ continued record less success.
"...I am talking about extreme poverty, not just any other poverty," Sejani said.
He said after interrogating, he would want to torture the government in respect of the extreme poverty levels in the rural areas.
But deputy Speaker Mutale Nalumango momentarily curtailed Sejani's debate and told him that no one was allowed to torture in the House.
Sejani charged that the MMD had committed sin against the rural people and that a day would come when they would pay for it.
"God will burn this government for the sins it has committed to the people in the rural areas," he said.
However, Nalumango advised him to debate in a moderate manner.
Sejani said the poverty that the MMD had created was a threat to the rural dwellers.
"The MMD represents supreme poverty and we will continue to sensitise our people so that in 2011, this government is voted out of power," Sejani said.
And Nkombo asked labour minister Austin Liato to explain why NAPSA invested in Mubuyu Farms, which owes Barclays Bank about US$17.5 million.
He asked why this decision was tolerated when one of the directors at NAPSA sits on the ZAMBEEF board, a company that has interests in Mubuyu Farms.
Liato said discussions between NAPSA and Barclays Banks meant to see how the above debt would be liquidated were in progress.
"We are hoping that all the issues in that regard would be addressed accordingly," said Liato.
The response was received with grunts from some UPND parliamentarians.
Labels: ACKSON SEJANI, ELECTIONS, MMD, MUBUYU FARMS, NAPSA, RURAL AREAS
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Death threats force Munali Coffee managers to flee
January 11, 2009
Two senior managers at Zambia’s largest Coffee producing company, Munali Coffee limited in Mazabuka have fled the company premises following death threats from former Mubuyu farms employees, who were evicted from the farmland by Court Bailiffs.
Company Finance Manager, Britten Gavin, confirmed the development to Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba, when he visited the company to investigate the eviction of former employees by the Bailiffs.
Mr Gavin said a human resource manager and Coffee Control marketing manager fled the premises on Thursday Night and their whereabouts are not yet known.
He said the two fled after some former employees turned violent against them.
But armed Police officers from Mazabuka and Nega Nega Police stations, who are still keeping vigil at the company premises, told ZANIS, there was no need for the managers to run away because maximum security measures had been put in place.
The Police, further, explained that the stoppage of the evictions greatly contributed to the peaceful atmosphere at the company.
On Thursday, Court Bailiffs from Lusaka swung into action and evicted former Mubuyu farms workers and dumped them across the Mazabuka- Kafue high way opposite the main entrance to Mubuyu farms.
ZANIS/ENDS/HC/SJK
Labels: LAND REFORM, LAND RIGHTS, MUBUYU FARMS, SQUATTERS, TYSON HAMAAMBA
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Mwiimbu urges govt to aid Mubuyu Farms
By Mwala Kalaluka
Monday February 11, 2008 [16:58]
MONZE UPND member of parliament Jack Mwiimbu has said the livelihood of 24,000 people in Mazabuka will be adversely affected if the government does not stop the possible collapse of Mubuyu Farms. And Mwiimbu has described the recent conditions introduced by the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Child Development for people to access the Youth Development Fund (YDF) as stringent.
Contributing to the debate on the motion on estimates of revenue and expenditure for the year 2008, Mwiimbu said it was the duty of any responsible government to ensure that business that affected the lives of the people was protected.
He said the British government was responsible enough to bail out Northern Rock when they realised that it was going under.
“Twenty-four thousand people in Mazabuka will be affected if this company is allowed to go under,” he said.
He specifically called on the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to see how they were going to intervene in the issue concerning Mubuyu Farm’s receivership.
Mwiimbu said further in his debate that the people of Katuba Constituency, whose member of parliament is finance and national planning deputy minister Jonas Shakafuswa, had suffered long enough because no one spoke on their behalf in Parliament.
“Now, I will speak for them,” Mwiimbu said whilst focusing his gaze on Shakafuswa on the government side of the House.
Mwiimbu also said it was sad that the affliction suffered by the people of Keembe, which is home affairs minister Lt Gen. Ronnie Shikapwasha’s constituency, following floods in the area was not being highlighted.
But Lt Gen. Shikapwasha rose on a point of order and asked if Mwiimbu was in order to ignore the fact that he appeared on television a few days ago to speak for his constituents in view of the flood situation.
Labels: FARMING, MUBUYU FARMS, YDF, YOUTHS
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