15 manufacturers of the once famous liquor sachets commonly known as Tujilijili are each demanding more than US $500 000 from government. compensation
This follows last week’s decision by the Lusaka High Court to uphold former Minister of Local Government and Housing, Professor Nkandu Luo’s decision to ban the highly potent spirits but awarded the liquor companies damages for loss.
The companies have assessed the damages and are claiming five hundred thousand US dollars each.
Delivering judgment, Justice Dominic Sichinga awarded the liquor companies damages for loss saying the minister breached the rules of natural justice when she arbitrarily revoked the applicants’ liquor licenses.
But Attorney- General, Mumba Malila, says the state is in the process of appealing against the judgment.
Mr. Malila said the state seeks to have the Supreme Court review Judge Sichinga’s judgment.
Yes. We will award them the money. But since those drinks caused alot of deaths, alot of hidden costs as a result of lost productivity because YOUNG Zambian men died; These companies will not see any of the money they are claiming. They cost they cost moral degeneration, they cost us money, and they cost us lives. Each company for the damages the cause would end up paying $1million. So, they in fact owe us $500, 000; which will be used by the families of the people who died as a result of drinking those things.
George Mtonga, you have articulated this issue well. Much as the government should have followed natural justice, it had a duty also to preserve the lives of Zambians which were deteriorating at a fast rate. Honestly, a government sown to protect it’s citizens should wait until today when this case has been concluded. How many lives were going to be lost from this market failure by the private sector. The families affected by tujilis should also sue the companies to compensate them. it is the only way these firms will see that their actions were not in good faith for the sake of profits. Nkandu luo, thumbs up, Mumba Malila thumbs up. Zambians who love peace thumbs up. The residues of alabi investment, so costly to manage.
I totally agree with you. These companies are simply vampires. They caused so many deaths and misery and they want to be compensated? Can we have a lawyer who can take up this case and represent victims for compensation. Heartless souls they are.
Brewing poison which you yourself don’t consume and you are stopped and u claim for monies lost.? How about lives lost.? If I were the judge I would make those company owners drink tujilis meant for evidence..GRZ just pretend that u will pay all those involved in the brewing and distribution of tujilis and then pounce on them and make them pay $2 million to each family which lost a loved one as result of drinking that poison…let’s get real
Concerning to tujilijili we can help the government to fight those useless companies. We do not want to see tujilijili on market any more, let those companies find some other products to sale in Zambia NOT tujilijili.
Yes compensate them.The abrupt ban was lame, just to say the least.Everything has an element of being abused.A few deaths shouldnt have warranted a complete ban.
So Zebige u are implying that one can do harm to the citizens and if the government intervines by using short cuts then the government can held liable.? This was a life and death situation not childs play.! Wake up and smell the death coffee.! People were dying and these stupid companies were all about profits..all the families who lost loved ones must approach the government and counter claim $ 2 million each for life is even worth more…stupid foreign manufacturers
The people were not dying from the Tujilijili per-se(literally).They were dying because of being careless.How can somebody keep consuming strong alcohol on an empty stomach and expect to be healthy ? The move was okay but the manner in which it was done was not okay.Serious consultations with the companies involved should have taken place.Tujilijili is back by the way on the streets only in bigger packages this time.
GRZ should just cough up this is the end result of issuing ministerial threats and directives instead of negotiating a deadline…I hope one Silvia Masebo is taking note!
Shame on you tujilijili brewers. You are no better than slave masters.
Sata’s PF government is full of blunders.
During its campaign to power, PF successfully used this toxic substance to feed its youth who were consuming their “don’t Kubeba” and “90 day” clap trap. As a matter of fact, these manufacturers helped to a huge extent PF’s ascension to power by
availing Tujilijili to these heavily sedated bunch of bloody shot pea eyed, drunken I.D.I.O.T.S with this cheap but dangerous liquor. Of course there were casualties along the way, school children and the unemployed youth. Compensation? My foot!
We as a nation dont need such investors. we need investors to help grow our economy and employment not reducing our population
PF government should deal with them and charg them for lives lost.
Its about procedure. Gvt was wrong.
What procedure.? Brewing poison which you yourself don’t consume and you are stopped and u claim for monies lost.? How about lives lost.? If I were the judge I would make those company owners drink tujilis meant for evidence..GRZ just pretend that u will pay all those involved in the brewing and distribution of tujilis and then pounce on them and make them pay $2 million to each family which lost a loved one as result of drinking that poison
RUBBISH RULING, What damages are these companies claiming in Comparison to many poor Zambians who have died because of Tujilijili. Something is very wrong with our Judicial System. Compensate the Poor Zambians than these fraud companies. Let them show us their initial investment in these backdoor companies. Hardly US$100K?? Now claiming US $500K, what a Joke.
YES – the companies MUST be compensated. Zambia is NOT a police state where a Minister can wake up in her sleep and ban things without accompanying legislation. There is NO LAW against brewing of alcohol in Zambia and the ban is still illegal despite the judge’s stupid decision. Those that drink tujilijilis have a personal responsibility to do so responsibly. Let us see if a few people choke on nshima tomorrow whether the government will ban mealie-meal. It is very stupid and just goes to show how sloppy us black people think. We should have dealt with the problem using economically sensible reasoning, like making tujilijilis more expensive by taxing them highly – the govt would be making money from tax as well – while saving people’s jobs in the companies producing the alcohol.
What kind of comparison is this? Nshima and tujilijili?
Yes Judge was correct in his decision to compensate the manufacturers. To all those who oppose the compensation I would like to ask them one question. If everybody thinks like Prof Luo and Bans whichever is not good in their books Then what is the use of Parliament and the acts constituted by the Parliament?. So my friends open your eyes and thent think in those lines. I do agree Tujilli had its own perils but why did you allow the business to flourish in the first place. Who asked you to give them licences and given them Employment permits. Can someone please give me an answer ,shall be grateful.
I thought govt should have assessed the products before allowing them to go onto the market. Reminds me of the brewery owned by Evans Lawrence in Lstone, so ungygienic, will only close it when it causes an outbreak of cholerea
I remember buying a sachet and dozing it in my coca cola,I miss those packs actually.Charged me up before I went for beer.Every substance if abused could cause problems.Jili power was available to anybody just like kachasu.There was no regulation.Everyone was selling.What was required was regulation.Those manufactures knew that mass production in sachets was cheap and profitable.Of course they lost money from making that moon shine.unfortunately moon shine costs life.That is why it was urgent for the government to ban the making of this moonshine!