Bailiffs seize MMD property over unpaid rentals

ARTHUR SIMUCHOBA
Correspondent | Wednesday October 12, 2011 00:00

Shortly after reports appeared that the former governing party had rental arrears in respect of the office building that housed its secretariat in Lusaka, the landlords, the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) demanded settlement of the outstanding amount of K461 million (P682,854) within seven days and warned that it would apply for a warrant of distress and engage bailiffs to seize MMD property if the party failed to pay within the period.

The MMD seems to have dithered and bailiffs moved in promptly on October 5, and seized property that included two Toyota double-cabs, computers and office furniture. It was earmarked for sale at a national auction if the MMD did not pay within five days of the seizure. At the time, MMD National Secretary Richard Kachingwe would not comment because as he put it he had no official notification of the seizure. Former president Rupiah Banda's party scrambled around and swiftly paid half the outstanding amount. Only then was the property returned.

Information was that apart from the still outstanding amount on the secretariat, the MMD owed NAPSA more in rentals for its provincial offices and that it was at liberty to obtain another warrant of distress to recover the arrears. It appears therefore that although it acted promptly in respect of the secretariat, the rentals issue is far from over and there could be further developments.In another related development, police seized 1,000 bicycles from the residence of former finance minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane in Lusaka West. The bicycles were apparently part of a consignment procured by the MMD for the election campaign. Police said they were investigating the matter.

A number of MMD vehicles have also been impounded by the police. They are part of a consignment ordered by the party for the September 20 general election campaign. Observers of the Zambian political scene say these are perhaps pinpricks only to be expected for a party that loses power. The 'insulation' of being in government goes away fast. Still, some of it seems to be purely vendetta and at best cases of using the police to serve the political ends of the party in power.

The question of the MMD campaign materials was for instance the subject of a High Court application by the Patriotic Front (PF) before it won the elections. It had applied for an order to compel the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) to collect duty on the consignment and for another to restrain distribution of the materials. The application was however turned down on pretty solid grounds and was dismissed with costs to the MMD. But now the same material is the subject of police investigations.

PF critics say clearly this is a case of the ruling party 'harassing' its opponent for political reasons using the agency of the police. It raises serious questions of how scrupulously the new government intends to observe the rule of law. Moreover, there is no law that regulates campaign financing in Zambia and the question of how the MMD secured those materials and from where does not arise. The PF itself had its own campaign materials. How it financed them or where it obtained them from is equally unknown but is not the subject of any investigation so far. But clearly once a party loses power, it quickly finds itself at the receiving end and has to scramble to keep ahead and on top of things as has happened to the former governing party in Zambia.

In its first reaction to the electoral defeat, the MMD conceded defeat and pledged to play a constructive role in parliament and in the political arena generally as a mature political party. It said it would carry out a thorough post-mortem and reorganise, reenergise and rebrand in readiness for the 2016 elections and any by-elections along the way.'We are certain that the people of Zambia know and have seen our progressive development agenda and this gives us supreme confidence as a party that we will bounce back to government,' said their statement. Perhaps. But the waters ahead promise to be choppy. (Sila Press Agency)