28/10/2021
MIRRIAM, MAUREEN FACE OFF...over late Mwanawasa's estate
By Ernest Chanda
MIRIAM Mwanawasa has alleged that her step mother Maureen altered late president Levy Mwanawasaâs will.
But Maureen says Facebook does not solve peopleâs problems.
Miriam is Mwanawasaâs daughter while Maureen is his widow.
On Tuesday, the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) announced the suspension of Maureen from practicing law.
LAZ also closed her late husbandâs law firm, Levy Mwanawasa & Co, describing it as a one-man firm.
âTake notice that the above-named Legal Practitioner has been suspended from practicing law with immediate effect. By this notice, the said Practitioner is not to appear in any Court of Law/Tribunal and should not file any Court process of whatever nature until further notice from the undersigned,â read the LAZ letter dated October 22, 2021. âSince the firm under the name and style of (Messrs Levy Mwanawasa & Co.) is a one-man firm, it is further ordered that the said firm be closed with immediate effect.â
The letter was also copied to, among others, acting Chief Justice Michael Musonda.
Reacting to this, Miriam expressed worry about the safety of other family assets.
âFollowing this information, I hope TEKA farm formerly owned and jointly owned by my late grandmother Miriam Mokola, and my late father after the death of my grandma my late father incorporated the farm and changed names from TEKA farm to MIPACHIMA farms before he passed on,â she wrote. âAnd when he died the will of my late father was fraudulently altered to an extent where properties of my late father were not properly shared because the will itself was questionable thereby disadvantaging my other sister also, Lorna, from benefiting any property.â
She accused Maureen of not surrendering title deeds to family property.
Miriam also claimed that she only received K15,000 from her fatherâs estate.
âUp to now our said mother has never surrendered the title deeds to us children. She took advantage of being administrator to our late father's estate and presided over everything,â Miriam said further. âOut of my late father's benefits I only received K15,000 which was not enough to settle my issues. As we speak now government is building a house for the late president Mwanawasa and currently the caretakers and people staying in the same said government funded house are her family members. Her brother and wife and her sister and husband.â
Miriam further expressed concern about the closure of the law firm, adding that she has never benefited from her fatherâs estate.
âMy question is if the court allows our farm land to go just like that where will I stay because I'm currently staying at my grandma's farm and I will not accept to be displaced over my step mother's debts,â she said. âMoney that never benefited me or my children. If anything, my children had even stopped going to school at some point, however I thank God for his intervention. I have no finances to fight this case but it is my prayer if the courts of ZAMBIA looked into this matter and guided us on the way forward and if possible, also remove my step mother from presiding over being administrator for the family property so that we can all have a fair treatment. As it is, a lot has gone wrong.â
Miriam vowed never to accept injustice in the matter.
âShe currently drawls [sic] a salary from government and I fail to understand how she failed to settle her debts because whatever money that she gets only benefits her,â said Miriam. âIâm forced to comment because I will not accept injustice to continue. And I pray for God's intervention in this matter in Jesus Christ Name.â
And when asked if she indeed altered the will, Maureen responded: âI donât respond to such things. If someone is unhappy about something, there are laws which protect such people, yeah.â
Asked further if indeed Miriam only received K15,000 benefits as she claimed, Maureen said she was not the main administrator.
âYeah, but thereâs an administrator of the estate. Heâs still alive. So, heâs the person who can explain if he wants to talk to the press. I am not the main administrator of the estate,â Maureen explained. âAnd, like I said, if someone is unhappy, you donât go to Facebook. You go to the institutions that protect those who feel disadvantaged. Thatâs what you do. Facebook doesnât solve someoneâs problems.â
Asked if she was now advising Miriam to
go to the relevant authorities, Maureen responded: âIt is not me to advise. Iâm just responding to you. Why should I advise? That is a page⊠Iâm not on Facebook myself. I donât respond to media things,â said Maureen. âIâm just telling you that any person who is aggrieved, this country is governed by laws. If itâs a family matter, family has got people. So this is not Facebook, yes."
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