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Rupiah’s Govt Leased Out Baobab Land To Saki
RUPIAH Banda’s government leased out 189 hectares of the controversial Baobab land to Lusaka lawyer Sakwiba Sikota and his partners from Egypt, it has been learnt.
But Sikota said the matter is before court and that the council and the President would have to wait for the court’s ruling.
The Lusaka City Council was the owner of the land in question before the MMD grabbed it from the local authority because of allegations of corruption.
The land was then acquired by Legacy Holdings Limited and former president Fredrick Chiluba before he died wanted 40 hectares of it for his retirement house. But Legacy Holdings only released 20 hectares which the former president rejected.
According to documents obtained by The Post, the land was sold on July 1, 2011 to Bantu Capital Corporation Zambia limited, the company where Sikota is a shareholder.
The land was leased for a 99-year period from April 1, 2011 with the area size of 189.516 hectares, under the certificate of title number 123988.
And the documents obtained from the Patents and Companies Registration Agency indicate the nature of business for Bantu Capital Corporation Zambia Limited as construction, mining and related business (prospecting and polishing), investment and property development, real estates and general trading.
Company directors and shareholders include Mohamed Abdelfattah Abdelmguid Salama, Mohamed Moussa Saleh, Ashraf Moussa Saleh Abo Bakr, all Egyptians and Zambians Sikota Sakwiba, Patel Zaeed, Peter Phiri and Mohamed Saeed Essa.
Meanwhile, Lusaka Mayor Daniel Chisenga said the local authority has sought the intervention of President Michael Sata to have the land given back to the council.
Chisenga said the land should benefit the general populous and not individuals.
“The Baobab land should benefit the majority citizens rather than an individual. We will do whatever it takes to make sure we fight for our land.
The state can enter into compulsory acquisition, that’s one way so that the council can continue with its plan to empower our people rather than selected individuals who got the land in very unclear circumstances,” he said.
Chisenga said the land was bought by the council and that receipts were even available.
He said the council decided to acquire the land as a way of offloading the pressure it was receiving from the public regarding accommodation.
Chisenga said the council even demarcated the land into high cost and commercial land in 2005.
“The council was under opposition then, the FDD. The MMD decided to revoke the agency powers and stopped the demarcations. Some people even paid application fees so the council now started refunding those people. The MMD alleged that there was corruption in the manner the council wanted to give those plots to the public,” he said.
Chisenga said it was during this period that Legacy Holdings acquired the land.
“Now we got surprised how this land found itself under the Egyptian company and we wonder such connections, how Sakwiba Sikota found himself as a shareholder in Baobab land. It raises a lot of suspicions on the whole transaction, who was involved? What were their interests? The council’s interest was the interest of the entire Lusaka. That’s the spirit that we have even now, we had a picture of everyone being given an opportunity to apply but only a few individuals got this chunk of land,” he said.
Chisenga said the council had big projects such as the municipal bond and financing that it needed to carry out and that these projects had since been advertised.
He said the need to build low cost accommodation that was affordable was the council’s key priority.
“It was unfair that land which we bought was grabbed in such a manner by individuals. Those who are on site have to pull out until these issues are exhausted. They cannot continue building, they have to stay out of the land and we are going to protect it from any cadres encroaching on it until the council moves in to re-plan the land for the benefit of our people,” said Chisenga.
The Anti-Corruption Commission is currently investigating alleged offences committed during the acquisition of the Baobab land by Bantu Capital Corporation.
Posted by Editor
on January 23, 2013. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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CHINVINDINVINDI
January 23, 2013 at 11:52 am
The MMD and its Govt used Grz property to pay Party legal costs.
I will not get surprised to see Saki, Malambo, and Silwamba in court for these matters.
KA GELO
January 23, 2013 at 12:01 pm
Uko, that is why Saki was and is still close to those in MMD and opposition in general, it is because he knew he has a skeleton in the closet.
am a serious PF DIE HARD.
January 23, 2013 at 12:19 pm
it is ok he is zambian and should own property. Ever wondered how many hecters Galuan an isreal owns and is know selling in lusaka. You will be shocked and my even die from heart attack.the whole of the airport meanwood area and beyond is for Galuan took about sadanis selling land in chaminuka at exorbitant prices. land he found in zambai but reaping from zambians big time.
Kajimang
January 23, 2013 at 12:37 pm
SAKI IS A LAWYER WHO IS CRIMINALY MINDED.
RAW JIK
January 23, 2013 at 4:41 pm
All lawyers are like that. Give them an opportunity and the wolf comes out
Jah-Guide
January 23, 2013 at 2:42 pm
that land must be given to de zambians eg government or national institutions like napsa to develop national facilities like stadia, hotels, recreation/resource centre or even university of technology-zambia. There’s too much contruction of unplaned private houses in zambia whilst neglecting national facilities for national pride…. please!
Ken
January 23, 2013 at 3:33 pm
Sense
Victor N
January 23, 2013 at 3:53 pm
helo zambia.
nawaitwika
January 23, 2013 at 4:04 pm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmChisakwiba ati the president must wait what for? You must give that land back to the rightfull owner thats why u where busy decampaigning Sata you knew…………….there is nothing like waiting we just have no time for such as soon as the truth is overwhelming that piece of land will be grabbed sorry ooooooooooooooh
MOSQUITO
January 23, 2013 at 4:10 pm
TUMFWEKO YOU HAVE GONE DOWN IN TERMS OF NEWS UPDATES WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AWE BANE PUT MORE EFFORT YOU ARE BEING BEATEN BY,,,,,,,,,
Muntu Na Muntu
January 23, 2013 at 7:03 pm
I have just learnt it today that SAKI is not a member of the general populous according to Chisenga. SAKI I thought is a Zambian who deserves to own property anywhere in Zambian. KANO NIBEENA.
Mafukeni Mutondo
January 24, 2013 at 8:57 am
Grab the land and let the Egyptian get land in Egypt, they can demolish some pyramids to create space. Croocked Lawyers.
Dk PLANET
January 24, 2013 at 9:34 am
MMD now is dead and rest in peace.The wages of sin is death
Amuchi
January 24, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Why should it appear a crime to own land as a zambian when foreiners are left scot free.Naine mukani gomoleleko nifuna.
SEKA UPONOKE
January 25, 2013 at 9:37 am
It was not going to be an issue had it been solely owned by Zambian nationals only.It becomes an issue becuse these guys connived with foreighners to buy this land.Its unfortunate that pipo who are educated,learned and understand world issues very well do such things of conniving with aliens.You re not using your acquired knowledge for the betterment of the nation as a whole but for personal aggrandizement,shame on u,God will punish you fools.