Zambia
Building Societies Act, 1968
Chapter 412
- Commenced on 2 December 1968
- [This is the version of this document at 31 December 1996.]
Part I – Preliminary
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Building Societies Act.2. Interpretation
Part II – Formation and registration
3. Establishment of building society
3A. Establishment of the Zambia National Building Society
4. Minister may suspend or refuse registration
Notwithstanding the provisions of section three, the Minister, if he is satisfied that it is in the public interest so to do, may—4A. Cancellation of registration
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, the Minister may, if he is of the opinion that it is in the public interest so to do, cancel the registration of a building society.[As amended by Act No. 67 of 1970]5. Conditions relating to deposit with Bank of Zambia
The following conditions shall apply to any deposit made with the Bank of Zambia under the provisions of paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section three, that is to say:6. Registration of existing societies
7. Effect of registration
From the date of its registration under this Act a building society shall be a body corporate by its registered name, having perpetual succession and a common seal.8. Prohibition of unregistered and terminating societies
9. Maintenance of register
The Registrar shall keep a register of building societies in which he shall record, in respect of all building societies registered under this Act, such particulars as may be prescribed.10. Name of building society
11. Contents of rules
The rules of every building society shall set out—12. Effect of rules
The rules of a building society are binding upon each of the members and officers of the society, and on all persons claiming on account of a member or under the rules; and all such mem-bers, officers and persons shall be deemed to have full notice of the rules.Part III – Membership and commencement of business
13. Members who are not shareholders
14. Members under the age of twenty-one
A person under the age of twenty-one years, if the rules do not otherwise provide, may be admitted as a member of a building society, and can give all necessary receipts, but, while he is under that age, he cannot vote or hold any office in the society.15. Joint shareholders
Two or more persons may jointly own shares in a building society and in respect of such shares the following provisions shall have effect, that is to say:16. Liability of members
17. Business not to be commenced before registration
18. Building society not to make advances outside Zambia
Except with the prior approval of the Minister, a building society shall not make advances on the security of freehold or leasehold estate, or in respect of any development, lands or buildings, situated outside the territorial limits of Zambia.19. Minimum subscription by founding members
Part IV – Management
20. Books and records to be kept by building society
Every building society shall keep the following books:21. Building society to supply copies of rules
A building society shall supply to any person who requires it a complete copy of its rules with a copy of the society's certificate of registration annexed to it and shall be entitled to charge a sum not exceeding four fee units for each such copy of its rules; and if a building society fails to comply with this section the society, and every officer of the society who is in default, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding seven thousand five hundred penalty units.[As amended by Act No. 13 of 1994]Directors and other officers
22. Number of directors
23. Remuneration of directors
24. Election of directors
25. Validity of acts of director
The acts of a director of a building society shall be valid notwithstanding any defect that may afterwards be discovered in his election or appointment or qualification; but any acts which occur after the date of discovery of such defect shall not be valid.26. Persons disqualified from being a director
27. Disclosure of interest by directors
28. Notification of changes in holders of certain offices
29. Officers not to accept commissions in connection with loans
30. Officers to give security and to account
31. Officers not to be exempted from liability
Any provision, whether contained in the rules of a building society or in any contract with a building society, or otherwise, for exempting any director or other officer of a building society, or any person employed by a building society as auditor, from, or indemnifying him against, any liability which, by virtue of any rule of law, would otherwise attach to him in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which he may be guilty in relation to the society, shall be void.Accounts and audit
32. Keeping of books of account
33. Annual accounts and balance sheet
34. Contents and form of accounts
35. Supplementary provisions as to offences under sections 32, 33 and 34
36. Signing of balance sheet
Every balance sheet of a building society shall be signed on behalf of the board of directors of the society by two of the directors and by the manager or secretary of the society and, if a balance sheet has not been signed in the manner prescribed by this section and a copy of it is issued, circulated or published, the building society, and every officer of the society who is in default, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding seven thousand five hundred penalty units.[As amended by Act No. 13 of 1994]37. Account and auditors' report to be annexed to balance sheet
38. Directors' report
39. Right to receive copies of balance sheet and auditors' and directors' reports
40. Appointment of auditors
41. Disqualifications for appointment as auditor
42. Auditors' report and right of access to books and documents and to attend and be heard
Meetings and returns
43. Annual general meeting
44. Other meetings
The board of directors of a building society shall call such other general meetings as may be required by the rules of the society, or as they may consider desirable, and shall notwithstanding anything contained in the rules of the society, call a general meeting on the application in writing of not less than one-tenth of the total number of members of the society or of not less than one hundred members in the case of a society having more than one thousand members.45. Length and manner of notice
46. Persons entitled to notice
47. Proxies
48. Right to demand a poll
49. Special resolutions
50. Notice of members' special resolutions
51. Annual return
52. Additional annual return of certain transactions
53. Auditors' report on annual return
The auditors of a building society shall make a report on the annual return, stating whether the annual return is in agreement with the books of account and records of the society, and whether, in their opinion, it gives a true and fair view of the matters contained in it; and the auditors' report shall be annexed to the annual return which is sent to the Registrar.Determination of disputes
54. General provisions as to disputes
55. Determination disputes by arbitrators
56. Determination of disputes by Registrar
Where the parties to a dispute agree to refer it to the Registrar, or where the rules of a building society direct disputes to be so referred, the dispute shall be referred accordingly, and the reference shall be deemed to be a reference to arbitration, the award of the Registrar having the same effect as that of arbitrators under section fifty-five.57. Determination of disputes by court
A subordinate court presided over by a senior resident magistrate may hear and determine a dispute—58. Effect of determination
Subject to the provisions of section fifty-nine, every determination of a dispute by arbitration, or by the Registrar, or by the subordinate court shall be final and conclusive and binding on all parties, and shall not be subject to appeal; and no proceedings on, or determination of, any such dispute shall be removed into, or restrained by injunction granted by, any court, or any other court, as the case may be.59. Statement of case for High Court
The arbitrators, or the Registrar, or the subordinate court, as the case may be, to whom a dispute is referred under section fifty-five, fifty-six or fifty-seven may, at the request of either party, state a case for the opinion of the High Court on any question of law.Part V – Advances
60. Building society may make advances
A building society may make advances out of its funds and such advances shall be ordinary, special or collective advances as defined in sections sixty-one, sixty-two and sixty-three.61. Ordinary advance
An ordinary advance is an advance of a sum not exceeding one hundred and twenty thousand kwacha, or such other sum as the Minister may from time to time prescribe, made by a building society on the security of a mortgage of freehold or leasehold estate.[As amended by Act No. 6 of 1991]62. Special advance
63. Collective advance
64. Repayment of advances
The terms of every advance made by a building society, except where the repayment of the advance and the interest thereon is guaranteed by the Government, shall provide for the repayment of the total capital amount within a period of not more than thirty years; but a society's board of directors shall have power to extend the repayment period in any case where it considers such an extension to be desirable or expedient.[As amended by Act No. 37 of 1973]65. Amount of advances
66. Advances to full value in certain cases
67. Special advance to purchaser of mortgaged property
68. Further advances for certain purposes
Notwithstanding the provisions of section sixty-five, a building society, for the purpose of protecting or maintaining the security held by it for the repayment of an advance, may make further advances in respect of—69. Restrictions on second and contributory mortgages
70. Advance for single premium life policy
71. Valuation for purposes of advance
72. Record of advances
73. Security taken from third party
If a building society makes an ordinary advance, a special advance or an additional advance and takes any security for such advance from a third party, then, before any contract requiring the borrower to repay the advance is entered into, the society shall give a notice to the borrower in the prescribed form:Provided that this section shall not apply to such an advance made to an individual where the only security taken for the advance from a third party is a guarantee given by an individual, not being a guarantee secured by a charge on any property.74. Offer of advance not to imply warranty
Notwithstanding the duty imposed on directors of a building society by section seventy-one, no advance or offer of advance made by a society shall be construed as warranting to the borrower or, in the case of an offer of advance, to the person to whom the offer is made that the purchase price of the estate or development taken in security, or proposed to be taken in security, is reasonable.75. Prohibition against balloting for advances
A building society shall not cause or permit applicants for advances to ballot for precedence, or in any way make the granting of an advance depend upon any chance or lot.76. Provisions as to sale of mortgaged properties
77. Disposal of surplus when mortgagor cannot be found
78. Discharge of mortgages
Part VI – Borrowing powers
79. Power to borrow
Subject to the provisions of this Act, a building society may borrow money and accordingly may receive deposits or loans, at interest, to be applied for the business of the society.80. Limit of repayments to investors and lenders
81. Limit of deposits
82. Liability for borrowing in excess of powers
If a building society borrows money in excess of the limits prescribed by this Act, the directors of the society receiving such moneys on its behalf shall be personally liable, jointly and severally, for the amount of the excess.83. Minimum notice of withdrawal
84. Assistance by one building society to another
Where it appears to the Minister that a building society is in financial difficulties, he may authorise any building society to lend money to the first mentioned society and the building society shall have power to do so accordingly.85. Depositor under the age of twenty-one
Any person under the age of twenty-one years may deposit money in a building society and shall be capable of giving a full acquittance to the society in respect of the payment to him of any sum due in respect of the principal of, or interest on, sums lent by him to the society.86. Members or depositors dying interstate
87. Trustee status for certain investments in building societies
88. Provisions of Act to be inserted in certain documents
Part VII – Investment and banking of surplus funds
89. Authorised investment
90. Authorised banks
91. Offences under Part VII
If a building society contravenes any of the provisions of sections eighty-nine and ninety, the society shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand penalty units and every officer of the society who is in default shall also be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both.[As amended by Act No. 13 of 1994]92. General reserve fund
93. Provisions as to liquidity
94. Restriction of payment of dividends
No building society shall pay any dividend or interest on any of its shares otherwise than out of surpluses earned by the society during the financial year to which the dividend or interest relates, and undistributed surpluses.Part VIII – Change of name, etc.
95. Change of name
96. Notification of change of address
A building society which changes the situation of its registered office or its postal address shall, within fourteen days after such change, send to the Registrar notice thereof and the Registrar shall register such change.97. Alteration of rules
Part IX – Unions of societies and transfers of engagements
98. Union of building societies
99. Transfer of engagements
100. Registrar may approve union or transfer
100A. Transfer of engagements by board of directors
101. Registration of transfers, etc., to operate as a conveyance
The registration by the Registrar in accordance with the provisions of the previous sections of this Part of notice of the union or transfer of engagements of a building society shall operate, by virtue of this section and without further assurance, as an effectual conveyance, transfer and assignment, as at the date of the registration, of the funds, property and assets of the uniting societies to the united society, or of the funds, property and assets of the transferring society to the society undertaking its engagements, as may be provided by the instrument of union or transfer of engagements, as the case may be.102. Creditors not to be prejudiced by union or transfer
A union of building societies or a transfer of engagements from one society to another shall not affect the rights of any creditor of any building society concerned in the union or transfer.Part X – Nomination, powers and control of Registrar
103. Nomination of Registrar
The Minister shall nominate a public officer to be the Registrar of Building Societies to perform the duties and exercise the powers imposed and conferred upon the Registrar by this Act.104. Indemnity of Registrar and other persons
The Registrar shall not, nor shall any person acting under the authority of the Registrar, be personally liable for, or in respect of, any act or matter done in good faith in the exercise of the powers conferred by this Act.105. Power to require production of books, etc.
106. Powers of inspection
107. Power to call a meeting
108. Power to suspend borrowing and subscription for shares
109. Power to control advertising
Part XI – Winding-up and dissolution
110. Dissolution in accordance with rules
A building society may be dissolved in the manner prescribed by its rules.111. Dissolution by consent
112. Dissolution on award of Registrar
113. Provisions applicable to dissolution under sections 110 and 111
114. Winding-up by or under the supervision of the High Court
The High Court on the petition of—115. Liability of members on winding-up or dissolution
Where a building society is being wound up or dissolved, a member to whom an advance has been made under a mortgage or other security, or under the rules of the society, shall not be liable to pay the amount payable thereunder except at the time or times and subject to the conditions set out in the mortgage or other security, or in the rules, as the case may be.116. Notice of winding-up or dissolution
Part XII – Miscellaneous and supplementary provisions
117. Powers in relation to land
118. Offences in relation to property of building societies
119. False statements in documents
120. Compulsory cancellation or suspension of registration
121. Cancellation of registration at request of building society
Without prejudice to section one hundred and twenty, the Registrar, if he thinks fit, may cancel the registration of a building society at the society's request, evidenced in such manner as the Registrar may direct.122. Effect of cancellation or suspension of registration
123. ***
[Obsolete.]124. Annual report of Registrar
The Registrar shall cause to be made an abstract and report of the annual returns of building societies and of the proceedings of his office under this Act and the Minister shall lay the abstract and report before Parliament.125. Provisions as to evidence
126. Form in which records may be kept
127. Regulations
Except where some other person or authority is so authorised by this Act, the Minister may, by statutory instrument, make regulations prescribing anything requiring to be prescribed under this Act and, for the better carrying into effect of the provisions of this Act but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, such regulations may provide for the procedure in the office of the Registrar, the hours during which that office is to be open for business, the forms to be used and the fees to be paid in respect of any matter which is required or permitted to be done under the provisions of this Act.128. Registrar to consider representations by building societies
Before prescribing the form of any return which building societies are required to make under this Act, the Registrar shall first circulate to all building societies registered under this Act a draft of the form which he intends to prescribe and he shall give due consideration to any representations which may be made to him by individual building societies or by their association within one month of the date of such circulation.129. Rules of court
Rules of court may be made under this Act for regulating proceedings before any court, and applications and appeals thereto, under the provisions of this Act and for the fees to be paid in respect thereof.130. Financial year of building societies
131. Non-compliance not to invalidate advance
No advance made by a building society and no security for an advance made by a building society shall be invalidated by reason only of the fact that the society, or any officer of the society, has, in connection with such advance, contravened or failed to comply with any provision of this Act.132. Lost or destroyed share certificate, etc.
133. Inspection of documents by public
On payment of the prescribed fees, any person may inspect at the office of the Registrar the documents relating to any building society which are required to be lodged with the Registrar in terms of this Act or may obtain from the Registrar a copy or extract of any such document, or part of any such document.134. General penalty
If a building society contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of any section of this Act, it shall be guilty of an offence and, where no specific penalty is provided by the section, the society, and every officer of the society who is in default, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding seven thousand five hundred penalty units.[As amended by Act No. 13 of 1994]135. Repeals
136. Transitional provisions
History of this document
31 December 1996 this version
Consolidation
02 December 1968
Commenced
Documents citing this one 0
Subsidiary legislation
Title
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Date
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The Building Societies (Authorised Investments) Order, 1988 | Statutory Instrument 33 of 1988 | 12 February 1988 |