Former president Bakili Muluzi is disputing a K21 million bill that Metro Shop in Blantyre gave him after his lunch hour shopping binge at the departmental store on Wednesday.
Press Corporation Limited (PCL), owners of the shop, said yesterday they were conducting an unscheduled stocktaking to find the validity of the sales following Muluzi’s contention against the K21 million bill.
Ironically, the UDF is looking for a similar amount to hold a convention on April 24 and the party is short of K9 million.
Muluzi’s visit to the shop has led to loss of sales for the entire day, according to PCL Group Operations Executive Pius Mulipa who responded to the Daily Times questionnaire yesterday.
“The bill came to plus K21million. The bill has not been paid yet, because it is being disputed on the grounds that there could be errors occasioned by the congestion and general stampede, which occurred in the shop, Mulipa said.
He said his group was conducting a stocktaking exercise at the shop so that they could definitely conclude validity of yesterday’s sales.
The store remained closed since Wednesday following Muluzi’s decision to pay bills for all other customers he found in the shop. It turned out chaotic instead and there was stampede as some people invaded the shop to benefit from Muluzi’s generosity.
Mulipa said Muluzi’s visit has negatively affected business at the shop. Muluzi reportedly left an open cheque after the shopping spree. The shop is expected to open today.
UDF secretary general Hophmally Makande who was locked inside the shop on Wednesday evening after Muluzi’s shopping, declined to say whether Muluzi had paid his bill for all the shoppers or not.
The generosity on Wednesday came days after UDF flighted adverts in the media appealing for more money from well-wishers to top up the budget for the party’s convention slated for later this month and is K9 million short.
