Member of Parliament for Nkhatabay Central, Symon Vuwa Kaunda alleged that the former State House Chief of Staff, Prince Kapondamgaga’s presence at a Mzuzu meeting with Public Service Pension Trust Fund representatives influenced the sale of Amaryllis Hotel.
Vuwa Kaunda made the allegation Thursday evening when Kapondamgaga appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to testify on his involvement in the sale of the hotel.
On March 6, 2024, Kapondamgaga, former Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba, Kapondamgaga, the former OPC legal advisor, Chizaso Nyirongo, and the pension fund representative, Boyd Hamela, discussed the Amaryllis Hotel deal in Mzuzu.
However, he maintained that he attended the meeting as an observer, being invited there by Zamba.
“I put it to you that ana munali nawo mu meeting aja, the staff you had. The likes of Hamela, went back to the Fund and said anatiyitanatu uku, State House want to know what is causing the delay,” said Vuwa Kaunda
According to minutes of the meeting read by Blantyre Chilomoni-Kabula-Nancholi MP Noel Lipipa, the meeting resolved that a member of OPC should become a trustee, that the sale of Amaryllis Hotel should be concluded urgently, and that weekly reports be submitted since the matter had reached the highest office.
Further, they agreed to engage a new investment manager within one month, submitting a comfort letter to the seller Yusuf Investments within three days and resuscitating engagement with the new investment manager, and that they should move with speed to conclude the hotel transaction.
However, Kapondamgaga refused to comment on the minutes, questioning their authenticity since he said he had not seen them.
He also said he can’t remember the resolutions made at the meeting.
Kapondamgaga further refuted reports that he had a share of K1.5 billion out of the K128 billion which the Public Service Pension Trust Fund used to procure Amaryllis Hotel, where K98 billion was already paid.
