JB’s K32m condolence to July 20 victims causes havoc

President Joyce Banda’s condolence money to the families of July 20 2011 victims has caused a rift between beneficiaries and the Mudzi Transformation Trust.

The President last year consoled bereaved families with K32 million (US$78 624.1) which was to be administered by the trust.

But some of the victims’ families have accused the trust of holding on to their money.

The families through their lawyer, George Kadzipatike, gave the trust seven days up to March 12 to respond to their demand, failure which they would commence legal action.

Speaking in an interview yesterday Kadzipatike said he has been instructed to drag the trust to court, alleging it has failed to pay the victims the money.

However, Mudzi Transformation Trust chairperson Maggie Chimpukuso said greed has taken centre stage among some relations and friends of the July 20 victims. She claimed people who are not supposed to benefit are the ones demanding the money.

Chimpukuso said the trust already gave money to “real beneficiaries in all the regions and 21 families were targeted. She said the families were given K500 000 (US$1 229) each except for one beneficiary that got K1 million because of the situation he is in.

She said another beneficiary also asked for a house which cost about K1 million (US$2 457).

“It is a pity that people see the K32 million as a lot of money so that they can all get a share. Some of the people are demanding minibuses, others houses.

“Unfortunately, the people making the demands are not the real beneficiaries. We are much concerned about the wives and the children the deceased left behind, but you will find that brothers of those who died and some who are not even relations are demanding money.”If we give the money to such people, what will happen to the children they left behind?” asked Chimpukuso.

She said all the beneficiaries have accounts and the trust is helping the children through the accounts.