By Rahim Abdul
Citizen Real Estate Company Limited managing director Rodwell Lumbe has broken his silence on rumours circulating on social media about the company, revealing that he is currently in Guangdong, China, attending a four-month professional development programme.
Lumbe has addressed the concerns through a statement posted on his official Facebook page, saying he travelled to China several weeks ago to attend a Community of Impact Leadership Programme but remains actively involved in the operations of his business.
He has also confirmed that he instructed staff to temporarily close all three company offices, saying the decision was made after social media discussions allegedly caused unnecessary panic among customers and the public.
According to Lumbe, reports suggesting that confiscating office furniture would resolve the situation are misplaced, arguing that the company is instead working behind the scenes to settle its outstanding obligations.
“We are actively paying off all our creditors, paving roads and installing beacons in all sites bought,” Lumbe said.
He added that the company is settling accounts with debtors and working to clear outstanding land-related issues on a case-by-case basis.
Lumbe further disclosed that the company will this week start contacting customers individually to facilitate the handover of plots.
He said customers who have paid for land but have not yet received their land documents will receive them as part of the ongoing process.
The Citizen Real Estate boss said the process is being handled carefully to ensure that outstanding issues are resolved properly, rather than because the company is avoiding its customers.
Lumbe has also assured customers that those who are owed money will be reimbursed or refunded in full, saying the refund process is already underway.
He further maintained that the company has not disappeared or abandoned its obligations, insisting that it continues to work towards resolving the concerns raised by customers.
“If you paid for land, you will receive that land just like we have done to others since 2022 in Lilongwe, Blantyre and Zomba,” Lumbe said.
He has urged customers to remain patient while the company works through the outstanding issues and provided a WhatsApp contact for customers who wish to communicate with him directly.
Lumbe’s response comes amid growing discussion about Citizen Real Estate Company on social media, where concerns surrounding the company’s operations have attracted public attention.
