Chief Mukuni claims abuse of office by Zesco in relation to potential tourism development

I SMELL high level corruption and abuse of authority of office by Zesco managing director Victor Mundende, says chief Mukuni.

Commenting on the sale of land at Victoria Falls Power Station to a Chinese company operating as Victoria Falls Eye Limited, Mukuni said the land in question was part of a legal suit which was before the courts of law.

“What baffles me is that according to PACRA records the owners of Victoria Falls Eye is a company known as Qindao Ruichan Tech Industry Company Limited which has 90 per cent shares and the Ministry of Tourism and Arts of the Republic of Zambia – whatever that means (laughs) – has 10. This is a circus. The directors under Victoria Falls Eye include a Mr Reuben Zulu and Ju Weinbin,” he said. “What is also shocking is that Zesco who are the owners of the land (Lot 437/M) gave a consent to a buyer to survey the land and subdivide it. What I know is that surveys and subdivision of land is supposed to be done by the owner in this case Zesco and not the buyer (Victoria Falls Eye). What guarantee do we have that the man will not get land not given to him if he is the one surveying and subdividing? Strangely the consent is given by Zesco managing director Victor Mundende. This makes me smell high levels of corruption and abuse of authority as the land in question is government land under the Ministry of Energy.”

He demanded the immediate withdrawal of the offer of Lot 437/M to the Chinese.

Mukuni also raised concern that the government could also give consent to the demolishing of a church.

“Zesco denied the said land to another investor who wanted to put up a balloon and the matter as far as I am concerned is before the courts of law. And strangely a Catholic Church is to be demolished. Where is our religious morality as a nation if government can sell land and give consent to demolish a church? I appeal to government to reverse the offer,” he said.

Mukuni added that Zambia also risks a diplomatic wrangle with Zimbabwe as UNESCO can deregister the Victoria Falls from the World Heritage Site list.

In January 2017, Mukuni fought off attempts by State House to offer Ju Wenbin the curio market at the Victoria Falls to erect a Spin-Sational Ferris Wheel.

The National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) has also warned that the said land being within the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site (VFWHS) cannot have a construction of the proposed wheel under UNESCO guidelines.

According to correspondences obtained by The Mast, Mundende on April 15 wrote to Victoria Falls Eye Limited’s lawyers Mosha and Company giving a go-ahead to the firm’s request to survey the land (Lot 473/M) at the Victoria Falls Power Station for subdivision.

The letter, ZESCO REF:MD 298/2020, addressed to Philip Chibundi states the power utility was in consent with Victoria Falls Eye’s request to survey the land.

“Please be advised that we have no objection to your undertaking the survey on the aforementioned portion of our property,” said Mundende.

An NHCC source warned that Zambia risks having the Victoria Falls placed under ‘endangered’ sites list if the wheel will be given a go-ahead.

“A shopping mall may be ideal but it’s like these guys are just interested in the wheel going by the name of the company Victoria Falls Eye,” the source said.

Zesco in an eviction notice dated April 29, demanded people leave the area so as to have the properties demolished as they were in a national park against the Wildlife Act Number 14 of 2015.

The notice signed by Zesco’s director of legal services McRobby Chiwela was copied to Mundende, director power generation, director human resources and the two labour unions namely POGAWUZ and MESAWU.

“NOTICE OF EVICTION: Kindly be informed that the area housing the house you reside in is a national park, namely the Musi-oa-Tunya National Park not suitable for human habitation in terms of the Zambia Wildlife Act Number 14 of 2015. We are therefore giving you three months’ notice to vacate the house at hand with effect from 7 May 2020,” Chiwale stated

He added that the lease agreement allowing tenants to occupy the said houses had also expired adding that the three months’ notice was a ‘humanitarian’ gesture.

Source: I smell abuse of office by Zesco MD – Mukuni (20/06/20)

Related stories:
Zesco sells Vic Falls land for proposed tourism ferris wheel development (17/06/20)
State House is giving in to Chinese over Vic Falls site – Mukuni (06/06/20)

Background: Zambia sells land near Victoria Falls for Chinese to erect observation ferris wheel (02/11/17)