CONSORTIUM OF CSOs TO ENGAGE HH
….. over delayed handover of KCM to Vedanta as well as finding partner to run Mopani Copper Mine
Lusaka…Tuesday August 1, 2023 (SMART EAGLES)
A consortium of Civil Society Organizations championing the revamping of the mining industry says it will engage President Hakainde Hichilema over the future of Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) and Mopani Copper Mines.
The consortium says it is disappointed that the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Hon Paul Kabuswe has lamentably failed to deal with issues at KCM and Mopani mine.
Advocates for National Development and Democracy Executive Director Samuel Banda has told journalists in Lusaka that President Hakainde Hichilema has the strong capacity in proficient negotiation skills to expedite the process and ensure that these issues and challenges in the mining sector are resolved.
“Therefore, due to the minister’s failure to unlock KCM and Mopani mines, we have remained with no choice but to engage our Republican President Hakainde Hichilema on the 12th August, 2023. We are hopeful and we have the confidence that President Hichilema will resolve these issue once and for all. We shall protest on the 12th of August, we shall match to State House and we assure the nation that it will be a peaceful protest and will be done within the confines of the law,” said Mr Banda.
“Honourable Paul Kabuswe should avoid embarrassing our president by failing to conclude negotiations with prospective investors on time in the interest of revamping the mining sector and making it viable. We know that government has the capacity to expedite the process and we don’t expect further delay to handle these issues. We want to inform our stakeholders, our members on the Copperbelt and members of the consortium to start preparing themselves on the 12th August, 2023 we shall match to State House.”
He said the consortium was shocked that government has continued to delay to resolve issues surrounding Mopani and KCM despite the extremely harsh economic challenges as a result of the non functionality of the two strategic assets.
“You may recall that on 14 July 2023, the Minister of Mines indicated to the public that only one issue was remaining to conclude negotiations with Vedanta Resources and that by month end of July, that main issue will be resolved and government will make an official announcement over the Vedanta taking over the operations of Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) and equally the investor expected to take over the operations of Mopani Copper Mines,” he recalled.
“However, getting a different statement from the Minister of Mines yesterday, indicating that government has not yet concluded negotiations is very disappointing to the people of Zambia and to President Hakainde Hichilema who has entrusted his Minister of Mines and Minerals Development to manage a very important government ministry competently, effectively and efficiently.”
Speaking at the same media briefing, Zambians for Unity Peace and Development President Ronnie Jere disagreed with Hon Kabuswe’s assertions that the people of Zambia are being considered in making decisions for both KCM and Mopani mines.
“The reason being, how can it be in the interest of the Zambian people when a lot of Zambians are wallowing in abject poverty, a lot of former miners who were working for Mopani Copper Mine and KCM have not been paid their dues? How can it be in the interest of Zambians when suppliers have not been given their monies? The mining industry is still locked up in those two strategic Mines and you are still saying it’s in the interest of Zambian people? Which Zambian people are you talking about?” he questioned.
“We want to categorically state that we do feel that this delay is as a result of incompetence, secondly is as a result of wanting to continue benefiting because a few people could be benefiting in the current state of Mopani and KCM mines. Whose interest is it when KCM at the moment, we just heard on news that one of the smelters has been shut down because of lack of service. We have people that are ready to put in money and run the mines optimally and yet we are still delaying. You can say that all this time you are still negotiating.”
Mr. Jere wondered why one issue that Hon Kabuswe mentioned that was remaining has taken almost a month to resolve.
“We do feel that they are dragging their time to make sure that these mines don’t function because they feel that if investors come in to take up these mines those people that are benefiting will not benefit,” he concluded.
He said these Mines should start functioning as soon as possible.