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The Zambian government has denied claims made by Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP) president, Sean Tembo, regarding the completion of the US$13.5 million purchase of the 8,658-hectare Zambeef Chiawa farm.
Tembo had sought a judicial review, arguing that the acquisition was unlawful due to a lack of parliamentary approval.
The government maintained that the purchase process was still ongoing, with stakeholder engagements yet to be completed and no final decision made.
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In August 2022, the government expressed interest in the Chiawa farm following Zambeef Plc’s advertisement.
A comprehensive business proposal was drafted by the Zambia Correctional Service (ZCS) and submitted to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning in 2023, which coincided with a proposal for joint farm operations by the Zambia National Service (ZNS) and ZCS.
The ZNS and ZCS submitted a project concept note to the Ministry of Finance for assessment, in line with national planning and public investment management guidelines.
The government argued that the ongoing stakeholder engagements and the absence of a finalised contract or agreement make Tembo’s application premature.
In an affidavit, Chrispin Kaonga, Director of Agriculture and Farms at ZCS, affirmed that the process for acquiring the Chiawa farm has not been finalised and Tembo’s application is thus premature as no final decision had been made.
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