Gucha Energy Corporation Limited has filed a defamation lawsuit against Roan constituency lawmaker Chishimba Kambwili, demanding over US$184 million in damages for loss of income. The firm is claiming US$184,914,782 for loss of income allegedly caused by Mr Kambwili’s defamatory utterances against the company.

Mr Kambwili is also National Democratic Congress party consultant. In a statement of claim filed before the Lusaka High Court, Ngucha Energy Corporation Limited states that it is a registered company operating as a distributor of petroleum products and lubricants.
The company is also a retailer in the same petroleum products.

Around December 4 last year, Mr Kambwili, while featuring on Radio Phoenix’s ‘Let The People Talk’, allegedly issued a false statement against Ngucha.“[Mr Kambwili] issued a false statement to the effect that Ngucha is a company belonging to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Edgar Changwa Lungu,” the statement of claim reads in part.

The claims state that Mr Kambwili also justified the false statement that Ngucha is made up of words from the name luNGU and CHAgwa, that is to say that NGU is from the name Lungu and CHA from Chagwa to make ‘Ngucha’. Ngucha Energy states that Mr Kambwili’s statement was false, malicious and meant to spread hate and discord about the company for his own political gain because Ngucha does not belong to President Lungu.

“The defendant [Mr Kambwili] did not bother to carry out due diligence by conducting a search at PACRA on the directors and shareholders of Ngucha,” the claim reads further. Ngucha Energy further states that contrary to Mr Kambili’s falsehoods, the company is owned by two private individuals who are not in any way related to President Lungu.

The company states that Ngucha owners do not have political inclinations whatsoever either to the ruling Patriotic Front or the Head of State.
“Ngucha has been in existence as far back as 2010 even before the PF formed government and before President Lungu became Member of Parliament for Chawama constituency, and subsequently President,” the document reads further.

Prior to Ngucha’s incorporation, there existed a sister company called Ngucha Enterprises Limited as far back as 2001 when President Lungu had not even been elected as MP.
The company is now claiming damages and an injunction restraining Mr Kambwili from further publicising