Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:43:20 +0000
CONTROVESY over the ownership of the Patriotic Front (PF) Company has taken a new twist with Vice president Dr Guy Scott saying there was nothing sinister about having President Michael Sata as one of the directors while PF national chairperson Inonge Wina expressed ignorance on the directors and ownership of the company.
Ilunda Chalo, which was said to be a PF Company established to raise funds for the party and to empower members with jobs, has only three shareholders, who are also the directors.
Vice president Dr. Scott said that the Daily Nation was being ‘silly and petty’ for revealing and reporting concerns from party members that Ilunda Chalo was registered in the President and Secretary General and a foreigner individual names.
Members have complained that shareholding and directorship should have been broadened to reflect the corporate nature of the PF party.
Dr. Scott also said that he did not know what the name of the Indian national, Imram Janmohamed, who is not a member of PF, was doing on the list of directors but was quick to admit that the company was formed to empower PF members and raise funds for the party.
Senior PF members have complained that the company has no link with the party and yet Mr. Kabimba who is also Minister of Justice should have ensured that ownership was representative of the party.
Dr. Scott said that in the event that President Sata stepped down as President of the party, the company would still remain in the hands of the PF because it was not his (President Sata and any of the directors) but the party.
Dr. Scott stressed that any company should have people to run it and there “is nothing sinister to have President Sata, Wynter Kabimba and Janmohamed as directors of the Ilunda Chalo Company.”
He said under the Zambian law, the requirement for any individual to open up a company was that there was need for them to have shares. “One share each for President Sata, Mr. Kabimba, and another share for another director and an accountant or lawyer a share and the remaining are for the PF members.”
Dr. Scott maintained that provisions of the law were followed when the company was registered at PACRA.
He said that the ultimate beneficiaries were the PF and its members and not the perception being created that only individuals registered as directors were the owners and would benefit.
“You are being silly and petty. Any company should have directors and Mr. Sata, Kabimba and Janmohamed are the directors of Illunda Chalo Company,” he said.
He said that all those who were speculating were just behaving like people listening to pocedza m’madzulo programme.
And Ms Wina expressed her ignorance on the names of directors and ownership of the company saying she was not aware about the directors and the number of shareholders.
Ms. Wina, a PF member of parliament for Nalolo constituency in Western Province said “I am not aware about the owners of the company, the directors and even the shareholders of Illunda Chalo Company.”
She said that although she was aware about the establishment of the company, she did not have enough details about the company, the directors and other shareholders.
