ACC’s threats to 48 houses’ tenants offside - Kalumba

THE Corruption Commission (ACC) is offside threats to tenants of the 48 houses as there is no law which allows someone who is not the property owner to adjust rentals or evict tenants, says former finance minister Katele Kalumba.

Speaking to the Daily Nation yesterday, Dr. Kalumba said the ACC’s move to increase rentals for the 48 houses and threaten non-compliant tenants with eviction, was wrong particularly that the property ownership is still yet to be established.

He said if the ACC had thoroughly investigated the matter, identified the owner and established that the 48 houses were proceeds of crime, then it would have had legal backing to seize the property or collect rentals.

He said the current suspicion and witch-hunt about whoever owned the property, especially real estate, had potential to scare real investments in the sector.

“Private property is subject to private law. When private property becomes encumbered into public policy problems, then we are not encouraging investments in property, particularly in real estate,” he said.

“Many people have been subject to all kinds of abuses simply because they have this difficulty that we cannot allow other people to become rich and penalize those that create wealth. If there is no effort made by the ACC to suggest that there was an element of ill-gotten wealth for that property, then they must leave that property and its tenants until that is proven,” Dr. Kalumba said.

He said in all fairness, the owners of the property and the tenants must be protected.