CHRISMAR PURCHASE BY NAPSA IS ALL LIES

IT is a lie that the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) is purchasing Chrismar Hotel at US$18 million, NAPSA head of corporate affairs, Cephas Sinyangwe has said.

Mr Sinyangwe said it was a blatant lie that NAPSA was in talks with Lusaka businessman Valden Findlay to buy Chrismar Hotel.

Mr Sinyangwe was reacting to a story published by News Diggers that Mr Findlay who is a close associate of President Edgar Lungu was in the process of selling Chrismar Hotel at US$18 million to NAPSA.

He said at no time did NAPSA engage Mr Findlay over the alleged sale of the property which is located at Plot number 6892 Los Angeles Boulevard in Lusaka

“NAPSA is aware of a story circulating in some circles purporting that NAPSA had purchased Chrismar Hotel.

“The authority wishes to categoricary state that it has not purchased the named firm. Therefore, the story must be discarded as fake news,” Mr Sinyangwe said.

Meanwhile, the Southern Africa Students and Youth Development Association (SASYDA) said it had carried out investigation over the alleged sale of Christimar Hotel and discovered that the story was false and malicious.

SASYDA Zambia president Ibrahim Mwamba said his association had carried outs investigation over the alleged sale of Christimar Hotel and discovered that the story was false and malicious.

Mr Mwamba accused the media of publishing baseless, false and malicious news aimed at discrediting the authority and Mr Findley. He said his association noted with dismay an increasingly active and aggressive use of propaganda to warp the media environment and undermine authentic, unbiased journalism across this nation. Mr Mwamba charged that the fake news was aimed squarely at sowing confusion; creating antagonism and divisions between people and countries; and fostering vitriol and hate for others based on their language, religion, or other characteristics.

He said carelessness in reporting about NAPSA could have very harmful effects to the nation and the people who contributed to the authority.

“Implicating the board chairman of NAPSA Mr. Evans Chibiliti whom the newspaper claims has earned himself US$1.5 million as kickback for endorsing this imaginary bogus deal is wrong,” he said.