Lusaka-2nd June 2022

Former Ambassador to Ethiopia and Patriotic Front Presidential Aspirant, Emmanuel Mwamba has reiterated his earlier call that the Zambian Government must cancel the contract it has with GLENCORE, a British multinational that was found guilty of bribery and market manipulation by USA Authorities.

Mr. Mwamba was reaching to fresh revelations that GLENCORE has been paying and meeting Mopani Copper Mines’ operational and other bills.

Mr. Mwamba also stated that the Supreme Court of Zambia on May 20th 2020, found that MOPANI and Glencore were engaged in tax fraud schemes and were levied $13million.

Mr. Mwamba also said Glencore, VEDANTA and Associated British Foods ( who run Zambia Sugar) were cited by a publication; “War on Want-Extracting Wealth, How Zambia Loses $3billion a Year” detailed how the three firms alone defrauded the Zambian tax authorities upto $3billion a year by using complex corporate structures, mispricing, transfer pricing and illegal tax-evasion schemes.

Mr. Mwamba urged the Zambian Authorities to immediately cancel the exclusive marketing rights of Mopani Copper Mines currently being held by GLENCORE and also cancel the $1.5billion sale Agreement.

Below is the full Statement.

PRESS STATEMENT

2ND JUNE 2022

REVELATIONS THAT GLENCORE PAID BILLS FOR MOPANI IN MAY 2022 REINFORCES OUR EALIER CALL THAT GOVERNMENT MUST IMMEDIATELY CANCEL ANY DEAL IT HAS WITH GLENCORE

We have learnt with deep concerns that Glencore Company is still running and paying operations and other Bills of MOPANI COPPER MINES.

Last week the USA Authorities found GLENCORE, a British/Swiss multinational commodity trading and mining with interest in MOPANI Copper Mines guilty of bribery and market manipulation in seven jurisdictions.

In Zambia, GLENCORE was in May 2020 fined $13million by the Supreme Court of Zambia for tax fraud.

This is after the Zambia Revenue Authority conducted an Audit that revealed that Mopani and its parent company, GLENCORE International were engaged in tax evading schemes and fraud which also violated the Arms Length Standards(ALS).

Because of the above, the Zambian Goverment must cancel or void the exit contract that has bound Zambia to pay Glencore $1.5Billion and holds MOPANI’s entire marketing rights of copper and cobalt.

We reiterate our earlier call to the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development and the Attorney General that Government must cancel this Agreement.

It is absurd that the entire ZCCM was sold for about $600million yet decisions were made to sale a small component of those assets for $1.5billion.

Emmanuel Mwamba
Lusaka

By Bright Tembo in Kitwe
GOVERNMENT has recovered K26 million from youths that got the youth empowerment funds under the PF administration.
Speaking after a familiarisation meeting with artists on the Copperbelt, Youth, Sport and Arts minister Elvis Nkandu said he was very impressed with the rate at which the government was recovering the money.

“We have recovered more than K26 million. The rate that we are recovering this money is very very impressive and all those that said we will not recover that money should know that we are a very serious government,” he said. “What has motivated these young people and artistes paying back is the interaction that we had in the past few months. And the monitoring system that we have put in place has also contributed to a very good recovery. Now that we have recovered, we have a long queue of people that are waiting to be empowered and that is a motivation to us as a ministry because we are now able to reach out to a lot of young people that can access the funds.”
Nkandu, who is also Kaputa UPND member of parliament, said musicians were among youths that have challenges in paying back the money.He said there was no other option but to pay back.

“There are also people that are not paying back. There is an outcry by the musicians who are failing to payback. Their outcry is the issue of the pandemic and I agree with them that they can only make money out of self-tickets and their line of duty tells a story they always bring people together,” Nkandu said. “Because of the guidelines that were out in place they couldn’t meet and that is a challenge. And I still agree with them but musicians and other artists are very creative people. And even though we had that challenge some of them had to diversify and that’s why they are paying back the money. We have musicians that have not started paying and what do you expect with this negative attitude we have as Zambians? I know we have that negative attitude, of not paying loans. This has not only happened to the youths even banks are facing the same challenge. Those that may not pay, the law will visit them. That’s why we have the law and I can’t go and manhandle anyone.’’

He said asking for them to pay back the money was not victimisation.
“From those artists that have gotten loans from the ministry, please pay back. And when we say pay back, that is not victimisation. We are just trying to remind you. Even in Church we know that Jesus will come but we are always reminded that Jesus will come,” Nkandu added. “I believe the way the money was administered maybe was not in a good way because that was prior to elections. And a lot of people thought that those were benefits of insulting the UPND and President HH (Hakainde Hichilema). Or maybe you were duped because you would have been told that this is a grant. Now that you signed loan forms it clearly tells me that you need to pay back this money. And if you have challenges, come to us and talk to us we see the way forward because these challenges can also be turned into opportunities.”
Meanwhile, Nkandu has urged artistes contemplating retiring to think twice.
He advised them against listening more to their frustrations.

“This government has come to help you. Where you are seeing things are hard the government has come to help in. Even those that are contemplating to retire because they have not recouped what they had put in, this is the time that they should continue and should forge ahead with the talent. Yes, if you want to retire you can retire but maybe to some extent some of them it’s because of frustration that government is not doing enough to appreciate their talent and also to enhance on the problems they have. But this is a very friendly government that has come to help artistes,” said Nkandu. “We will not just be using these artistes when it comes to campaigns, no! These are Zambian people that we should help. We will not look at your forehead to see what is written on it, if you are UPND or PF. That will not do because we believe and understand that Zambian people really detest segregation and we can’t go that route. So, if you are in opposition or ruling, us we will consider you as an artiste. We will consider you as a young artiste who may need help from the government that you chose in that particular day, and that should not worry anybody.”

PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MINING INDUSTRY

01.06.2022

The Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Hon. Paul C. Kabuswe wishes to update the Zambian people on the recent developments in the Mining sector.

As citizens may be aware, over the weekend the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development completed its audit on the Administration and Management of mineral rights at the Cadastre Department. This report has now been handed over to the President and the Ministry expects the issuance of new Mining licenses to resume soon. This audit was carried out to ensure that all new licenses are awarded in a transparent and efficient manner, which fulfills our election pledge of generating maximum economic benefit to the Zambian people and safeguarding the interests of our Country.

I also want to update Zambians about developments at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and Mopani Mines. The Ministry is aware of large amounts of misinformation circulating in relation to these assets and wishes to reiterate that we are working hard to deliver sustainable, long-term solutions for both mines.

Early last month, the Acting Administrator General and Official Receiver for Zambia Celine Meena Nair assumed the position of Provisional Liquidator at Konkola Copper Mines. This is in accordance with the Corporate Insolvency Act, which provides that where there is a vacancy in the office of Provisional Liquidator, it must be filled by the Official Receiver until the appointment of a liquidator. Ms Nair is a highly qualified lawyer who previously worked as Principal Legal Officer at the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development fully supports the work of Ms Nair in this role.

Ms Nair has subsequently appointed Jason Kazilimani of the professional services firm KPMG to act as her agent in relation to the liquidation proceedings at KCM. Mr Kazilimani is a chartered accountant who currently serves as the senior partner and Chief Executive Officer at KPMG in Zambia. He also has the full support of the Government.

As the Government and ZCCM-IH continue to work through the arbitration process for KCM, we wish to refute the suggestion that a commitment was given t Vedanta Resources to have their license restored. Indeed it is the widely held view within Government that Vedanta sacrificed their social licence to operate in this Country through their past failings.

Following the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay proceedings and refer the matter back to arbitration – a decision supported by the Supreme Court – a hearing is now set for 9th January 2023. In the interim, efforts are continuing to find a solution that unlocks KCM’s potential and delivers maximum benefit to the people of Zambia.

In the case of Mopani Mines, the Government is of the view that market-based capital raising solutions should be implemented at Mopani, rather than relying directly or indirectly on the limited public finances. As the President has said previously, we are very close to finding a suitable private Investor to further ramp up production at Mopani Mines.

With regards to the release of a recent economic impact report carried out by esteemed economic consultant Oliver Saasa, the upcoming Investments by First Quantum Minerals (FQM) into the Kansanshi Mine and Enterprise Nickle Mine will help to create around 18,000 new jobs.

The report, published by Premier Consult Limited, predicts that the Investments will result in between 1,300 to 1,700 direct jobs being created, as well as an additional 16,500 through the multiplier effect. There will also be a further 1,800 vacancies during the 18-month construction phase at Kansanshi.

This follows the President’s recent announcement at the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town that FQM is investing $1.25 billion to expand production and extend the life of the Kansanshi Mine, as well as a further $100 million to bring the new Enterprise Nickel Mine online.

According to the report, these Investments stand to generate between $380 million and $775 million in additional tax revenues, depending on commodity prices, which can then be spent on critical areas such as education, healthcare, Infrastructure and the Constituency Development Fund.

These Investments, as well as the continued efforts at KCM and Mopani, form part of the Government’s overall plan for increasing copper production in Zambia to 3 million metric tonnes of copper annually within the next ten years.

By maximising the economic contributions of the Mining Industry, and ensuring that the sector is run in a sustainable and socially responsible manner, the New Dawn government will deliver on its promises to provide high-quality, well-paying jobs to thousands of Zambians.

Paul C. Kabuswe
MINISTER OF MINES AND MINERALS DEVELOPMENT

THE PRESIDENT had no hand in the re-arrest of former Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) provisional liquidator Milingo Lungu as the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) acted on its own, Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha has argued.

Mr Kabesha contends that a decision or instruction of the President is required to be in writing under his signature and there is no such instruction or interference with the autonomy of the investigative wings.

He has thus urged the Constitutional Court to dismiss a petition by Governance activist, Isaac Mwanza, in which he wants the court to declare as unconstitutional President Hakainde Hichilema’s action to find the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Lillian Siyunyi incapable of being in her office before investigations are carried out.

Mr Mwanza contends that the action by the President during a press conference on Monday contravenes Articles144 (2), 91(3) (a) (e) and 180(7) of the Constitution.

He said it is unconstitutional for the President to summon and discuss criminal cases with the Anti-Corruption Commission, compelling investigative agencies to reopen closed cases, and issuance of instructions amount to political interference in the discharge of functions by law enforcement agencies.

He is also seeking declaration that the announcement by the Executive through Minister of Justice Mulambo Haimbe that it has found anomalies in the conduct of the DPP, in the absence of a legitimate body undertaking an inquiry breaches the law.

Mr Mwanza seeks that that the directive by Mr Haimbe to the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC) on how to handle the intended proceedings against the DPP violates Article 144(2) of the Constitution, and thus illegal.

In an affidavit in opposition to the petition, Mr Kabesha said the statement by Mr Haimbe that there were lapses in the office of DPP which required thorough , independent and fair investigation by relevant bodies does not in any way infringe on the independence of the JCC.

He said the Head of State has never interfered with the autonomy of the ACC, DEC and JCC.

Mr Kabesha also contends that Mr Mwanza has no locus standi to state that JCC chairperson Mr Vincent Malambo and Mr Chad Muleza will be conflicted to deal with the complaints against the DPP.- Daily Nation

PROF SAASA RESPONDS TO TIZ

Office
Premier Centre
29 Njoka Road, Olympia Park,
Lusaka
Tel: 260-1-290056 Fax: 260-1-
290581
Address
P.O Box 38163, Lusaka Zambia
info@premierconsult.co.zm
www.premierconsult.co.zm
Managing Consultant/CEO
Prof. Oliver S. Saasa, B.A, M.Sc, PhD
E-mail: oliver￾saasa@premierconsult.co.zm
PremierConsult Limited
Economic Social & Business Consultants
1 June 2022
RESPONSE TO SAMPA KALUNGU’S PRESS RELEASE ON THE
CONSULTANCY CARRIED OUT BY PREMIER CONSULT

Premier Consult Limited is perturbed by the Statement (in print, soft and video formats) released by Mr. Sampa Kalungu, the Transparency International-Zambia Chapter President, regarding what he describes as “conflict of interest in the awarding of the First Quantum Minerals (FQM) Ltd.’s US$1.3 billion expansion investment evaluation consultancy to Prof. Oliver Saasa through his consultancy firm, Premier Consult.” Mr. Sampa issued this Statement purportedly on behalf of the well-respected Transparency International (TI). From my knowledge of TI with regard to how they, as a matter of standard protocol, counter-check facts prior to issuing strong statements against an individual or institution, Mr. Kalungu’s Statement falls far short of the
expected norm.

This unfortunate incidence leads me to believe that he has abused, for whatever reason, the integrity of TI when he signed the Press Statement under its Logo.

It was my expectation that, under normal circumstances, TI officials would have called me to verify the facts prior to the preparation and issuance of the Press Statement. This did not happen.

Considering the wide coverage of Mr. Kalungu’s Statement (on the radio, electronic/social and
print media), I take the liberty to advise the public as follows:

1. In his Press Release, Mr. Kalungu stated as follows: “Our concern stems from the fact that Prof. Saasa is the chairperson of the Economic Advisory Council, having been appointed
by President Hakainde Hichilema, and in that position, he provides advice to the President
on economic matters.”

• There are serious inaccuracies in this Statement. Firstly, what Mr. Kalungu calls
the Economic Advisory Council (that I chair) does not exist. He needs to tell the public when this body was formed and who its members are. Similarly, he should state when I began providing “advise to the President on economic matters”under the umbrella of the so-called Economic Advisory Council.

This is the problem when one’s agenda is less than honourable and when they fail to
counter-check facts prior to making statements that aim to defame others’
characters. I can only assume that Mr. Kalungu is basing his inaccurate assumption on the statement made by the President, in December 2021 during the time when the BCCET (of which I chair) was invited to State House to discuss with the Head of State our proposal for the formation of the Business Advisory Council.

On that occasion, the President announced that I had accepted to be Chairman of what he referred to as “Advisory Council.” Note that the envisaged Business Advisory Council was to be a creation of the business community, which intended to frequently meet with the President to discuss issues that concern the
private sector.

That statement by the President may have been misconstrued by people like Mr. Kalungu to have meant that I was formally appointed as an Advisor to the President and that I, therefore, hold a public office. That is
incorrect.

The facts are that (a) I have not been appointed to serve in any capacity in the Zambian Government and, consequently, I do not receive a salary or allowances that may have justified anyone to refer to me in the manner Mr.
Kalunga has portrayed me; and (b) while the President may have intentions to
actualise the formation of the “Advisory Council,” this is yet to be formed. I am
not aware of anyone who has been appointed on what Mr. Kalungu calls the Economic Advisory Council that he claims I currently chair. So many things have happened since December 2021 and, recently, the President announced the formation of the Public-Private Dialogue Forum, to which, as it will soon be made public by the President (he said so during the launch), many private sector
executives will be part of the different consultative layers. He is yet to announce
the Steering Committee that he will chair himself. Again, this was announced by
the President himself and it is in the public domain. If I will be appointed as a
member of any of the consultative layers, as will be the case for many other
captains of industry, that remains the prerogative of the President. None of these
private sector players will be considered “advisors” or “employees” of
Government.

They will, nevertheless, be strategic in helping Government better embrace and interact with the private sector. Mr. Kalungu needs to be helped to better understand – and appreciate – how the President wishes to interface with
the private sector going forward.

In short, a private sector player being in a
consultative or advisory function with the Government in the changing scenario
of doing things never implies being recruited by, and wok under, the Government
for the purpose of “declaration of interest” in the manner this is understood
legally or as a good governance trait.

• Emanating from the point above, I cannot see how any reasonable and well meaning person (or Organisation such as TI) should be concerned when I, under my Firm, consult with any Government agencies (let alone with such private companies as First Quantum Minerals Limited).

• Even if I was on the payroll of Government, I cannot see how my registered
private firm should not consult for other private firms. There are many officials,
including ministers in our Government (and in previous Governments) that
legitimately own stakes in companies or even own firms that conduct business
with other private companies (not to mention those that have had deals with
some government agencies).

2. In searching for faults, Mr. Kalungu announced in his written Statement and on video that “the recommendations from the evaluation of FQM are crucial in informing the
government on its next actions with regard to the country’s mining sector and overall
economic development. It is therefore of grave concern that an individual who is meant
to guide the President on the economic decisions pertaining to the country, is on the other end, evaluating the country’s largest taxpayer on its investment in the country.”

On the face of it, this statement may sound legitimate to an average ear. What is puzzling is that it is based on the assertion, which is incorrect, that I am an employee of Government with a mandate to “guide the President.” I would understand if Mr. Kalungu was referring
to the people employed at State House that are hired, designated and paid as Advisors
to the Head of State.

I do not occupy a government office. I am 100% in the private sector for over 20 years now. In any case, the President can receive advice from anyone and any organisation (local or international) and defining “conflict of interest” purely on the basis of who advises the President only succeeds in revealing an opinion of someone that should be nowhere near Transparency International as we have known it to be.

3. Mr. Kalungu also wondered: “questions can arise on whether the awarding of the
consultancy itself was impartial given Prof. Saasa’s position as chair of the President’s
Economic Advisory Council, and his potential interest to advise the President in a
particular direction.”

This Statement alleges corruption on the part of FQML (who
retained Premier Consult for this deliverable) as well as suggesting dishonest on my part.
These are serious charges.

Firstly, I cannot be chair of a non-existent Economic Advisory Council. Secondly, Premier Consult’s professional relationship with FQMs dates back to almost a decade and is based on their knowledge of our capacity to deliver. To suggest that FQML retained Premier Consult’s services because I am Chairman of a non-existent Council does not constitute the behaviour TI should be associated with and I have every right to protest about this behaviour at the global TI.

It is also noteworthy that the
Recommendations of the Evaluation are fundamentally targeted at the commissioning
party (FQML) and not the Government although they have a bearing on the relationship
between the Company and the State. The quality of the recommendations should be
judged on their quality rather than on assertions that Mr. Kalungu conjures-up.

4. Mr. Kalungu, purporting to represent TI, states that “It is our considered view that Prof.
Saasa ought to have declared interest in this consultancy project, or altogether detached
himself from it given the existing and clear interest.”

It is quite strange that Mr. Kalungu,
considering that he is Chairman of TI, seems to have difficulties in interpretating what
constitutes Conflict of Interest. If I was working for Government (and I am not) and I
consulted for a government agency (and I did not unless he believes FQML is
Government), the notion of conflict of interest would perhaps have arisen.

But FQML is not a Government company, so in what context is he seeing a conflict of interest that I have failed to declare? And to whom was Premier Consult supposed to declare that
conflict of interest. Mr. Kalungu also does not seem to know that Premier Consult and
Oliver Saasa are two different legal personalities. He strangely uses the two
interchangeably.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4
Taking into account the serious inaccuracies and wrong assumptions made by Mr. Sampa
Kalungu against me and my Firm (as shown above) and considering how injurious to the
standing of my consulting Firm as well as to myself as a professional with decades-long track record in consulting work in both Zambia and internationally, and also taking into account the reputational injury to me on the corporate boards that I sit on, both locally and
internationally, I demand, within 48 hours, an unreserved withdrawal (through the press) of
the Statement authored by Mr. Kalungu and purported to be the position of Transparency
International.

I further demand an unreserved apology from Mr. Kalungu for the attempt to
misinform the Nation on the legal (or good governance) standing of my Firm and me. I reserve the right to take further actions.

Oliver S. Saasa (Prof.)
Managing Consultant and CEO
PREMIER CONSULT LIMITED

Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba Wrote

Zambia to Host the African Union 4th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting

Zambia will host both the 41st Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union and the 4th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (MYCM) of the AU and the Regional Economic Communities (RECS) to be held in Lusaka, Zambia, from the 14th to 17th July 2022.

Prior to this, Zambia was expected to host the full Heads of State Summit(55 Heads of States) but in 2020, the Summit held in the middle of year was repurposed to become a mid-year coordination Summit that attracts only about 14 Heads of State.

But since Zambia will host the Executive Council(Foreign Affairs Ministers) which will attract all the 55 member states,this may suffice.

To prepare and host the Summit, Zambia sought financial and technical assistance to build a new Conference Centre to compliment the existing facilities at Mulungushi International Conference Centre.

China 🇨🇳 came to the aid of Zambia and now the country has a $66million ultra-modern conferencing facility and the inside designs and facilities bears similar design to the Nelson Mandela Conference Hall at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa. China also built the multi-million African Union Commission facilities.

When the new annex Conference facility, appropriately named Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Centre, was officially opened on Tuesday, many felt their should have been a greater recognition, in those making speeches, of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and his government for this marvel of a building.

The funny excuses on social-media was that this was a grant from China and the recognition of China was enough…

But it can’t be. To get a loan, grant or technical assistance from another country requires that such a country and its leadership enjoy unwavering bilateral support with you, to benefit from such a huge grant.

So naimwe go and get a grant kanshi and build something if it is that easy.

Ushitasha mwana wandoshi.

Thank you to the People’s Republic of China, and thank you to President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has said that it is surprised and dismayed by a statement issued by Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) attempting to discredit the renowned economist Prof. Oliver Saasa.

In a statement made available to the media in reaction to TIZ statement questioning Prof Saasa’s non-disclosure of conflict of interest, FQM called upon TIZ to retract its statement and apologise unreservedly to Prof. Saasa.

The firm said that Prof. Saasa’s company Premier Consult was commissioned by First Quantum Minerals to
evaluate and explain the impact of the company’s US$1.35 billion expansion plans on the Zambian economy.

FQM further added that the Premier Consult team was given full independence to conduct their research impartially and with integrity to ensure a credible professional view of the investment, and to ensure
transparency, First Quantum’s engagement of the consultancy was clearly stated in the report.

“Professor Saasa is one of Zambia’s most experienced and learned economists. To question his integrity and suggest he and his company would work with anything less than the utmost integrity and transparency is an insult to his professional standing and to that of any other senior government adviser who will inevitably have long-standing experience and associations with various organisations. Indeed, it is that experience that enables them to provide invaluable insight for the benefit of the nation,” said FQM Country Manager General Kingsley Chinkuli.

“First Quantum calls upon Transparency International Zambia to retract its statement and
apologise unreservedly to Prof. Saasa, ” concluded the statement

Yesterday, TIZ issued a statement noting with concern the conflict of interest in the awarding of the First Quantum Minerals (FQM) Ltd.’s US$1.3 billion expansion investment evaluation consultancy to Prof. Oliver Saasa through his consultancy firm, Premier Consult.

TIZ Chapter President Sampa Kalungu said that his organization’s concern stems from the fact that Prof. Saasa is the chairperson of the Economic Advisory Council, having been appointed by President Hakainde Hichilema, and in that position, he provides advice to the President on economic matters.

Mr Kalunga said that the recommendations from the evaluation of FQM are crucial in informing the government on its next actions with regard to the country’s mining sector and overall economic development.

“It is therefore of grave concern that an individual who is meant to guide the President on the economic decisions pertaining to the country, is on the other end, evaluating the country’s largest taxpayer on its investment in the country. As TI-Z, we have serious concerns bordering on how sure the government can be that the recommendations given about FQM will be based on an independent and unbiased assessment, given the clear ties Premier Consult has as an evaluator of FQM,” he said.

“Additionally, questions can arise on whether the awarding of the consultancy itself was impartial given Prof. Saasa’s position as chair of the President’s Economic Advisory Council, and his potential interest to advise the President in a particular direction. It is our considered view that Prof. Saasa ought to have declared interest in this consultancy project, or altogether detached himself from it given the existing and clear interest.”

He stated that his organization’s concern is not about the capacity of Premium Consult to do the work in terms of their qualifications and experience, but rather about the broader principles of accountability and transparency in this matter.

“We, therefore, urge government officials and advisors to the President to be as transparent as possible in their dealings so as to allay any concerns and speculation related to their personal interests, which may potentially lead to doubts about their credibility and impartiality.

We further urge State House to provide clarity and assurance on Premier Consult’s involvement in the FQM evaluation, in relation to the conflict of interest involving the chair of the President’s Economic Advisory Council,” he added.

YOU LOSE NOTHING BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE EFFORTS OF YOUR PREDECESSORS
By Antonio Mourinho Mwanza

Yesterday, President Hakainde Sammy Hichilema commissioned the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Convention wing of the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.

The majority of Facebook comments have condemned the President’s failure to acknowledge the fact that this marvellous piece of infrastructure is a brainchild and legacy project of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu. The President chose to completely ignore the efforts of his predecessor, he couldn’t even mention his name even in passing.

There is absolutely nothing that you lose by acknowledging the efforts of others, in fact it shows the level of one’s humanity and magnanimity.

The trouble is that some people think that just because they don’t like Edgar Lungu as a person then everyone doesn’t like him. What they fail to understand is that President Lungu lost elections not because people hate him, no, he lost because some people did not agree with him on certain governance issues.

Leadership must be understood as a relay, you come, you do your part and you pass on the baton to the next person, as the Easterners say, chalo chili monga bonzo wadyako anso wasiyako.

Let’s stop the culture of appreciating people only after they die. Let’s stop the hate, we are all Zambians, these are just politics they should not divide us as a people.

Antonio Mourinho Mwanza
Media Director
Patriotic Front
1st June, 2022

They paid me less than a cleaner in the UK – Musa Mwenya

A video has emerged in which the former Attorney General has revealed that a government salary cannot make one to become super rich. In the last 10 years, many government officials became super rich that they bought vehicles costing more than K1m like mobile phone top us. Mr. Mwenya disclosed that as an Attorney General, one of the top public jobs, he was paid a net salary (take home) of K30,000 per month. At the peak of the British sterling – Zambian Kwacha, this would have been less than £1,000 which is far less than what cleaners in the UK get paid. Even af the current exchange rate of K22/£, this is still less than what cleaners gets paid in the UK.

Mr. Mwenya who is also on record supporting lifestyle audit added that as a public official, one should not have nothing to hide in their lives. The rich should be able to account for their wealth by making public their payslips and taxes paid. How should one be super rich yet their tax account is equivalent to that of a teacher? It’s is an insult to employees whose taxes are deducted at source.

Mr. Mwenya who is the incoming Anti- Corruption Commission Zambia lieutenant has further sent chilli cold shivers down the spines, noses and throats of financial criminals who have refused to surrender what does not legally belong to them. However, Mr. Mwenya’s limitations will be his position that may not allow him to have an input in the day to day operations of the ACC. Moreover, their is no doubt that Mr. Mwenya will have far more sensitive noses to corruption as he will be closer to the table than Bally. Mr. Mwenya will be joining a team keen to develop Zambia by recovering the billions held in private hands through corruption. The people of Zambia are currently knocking on the head of state’s ancient state house to give them jobs he promised them. This has made HH to resort to fighting corruption day and night to recover and redistribute billions of kwacha to the people to keep them away from state house and stop them complaining. Musa Mwenya will amplify the asset recovering process.

It has also been reported that so far the government has recovered more than $25m from willing cooperating criminals and more is yet to be recovered.

GOODWILL TURNS SOUR: Lillian Mutambo Sever Ties With “Ungrateful” Stranded Zambian Woman In Malawi

United Kingdom-based goodwill ambassador Lillian Mutambo has severed ties with a Zambian named Anne Nakushela who was recently reported stranded in Malawi.

Mutambo has described Anne has “ungrateful” in her hour of need.

She writes

For Immediate Release:

Good morning, I want to make this clear..A few weeks ago a young woman named Anne Nakushela was bullied in Malawi for begging to be helped with K35,000 for her tuition fees arears…In fact I was tagged on many posts shared but I ignored till the Malawians laughed at her. I then posted on this Page asking if people they can help her and I added her lines…I offered that I would donate K5000 to start with. After some time our supporters suggested that we collected the donations for transparency. I asked if people can send K10s and on the airtel only K100 was raised and my Mtn only K600.
On my last update I stated K6000 because I decided to add K300 to round it off…

Meanwhile, a huge donor had told me to wait till at end of month for K15,000 and they are based in America. To my surprise the impatient Anne posted asking how far with the donations in a post that was demeaning and embarrassing. It was even a Canadian based Zambian who brought it to my attention as he too wanted to contribute K5000. By the time I had realised the US sponsor too saw it and decided to withdraw. In his words ” this is a very ungrateful spirit, I wish she knew how hard you are trying”….

I therefore, would like to state that we have been in touch with the school who said her bill is actually K36,000 and not K35,000 as she claims. Our Lead Team Member Jehue will deposit the money today and we cut off ties with the task.. I believe that if someone offers to help, it is only fair that one is patient. It seems Anne Nakushwela now feels entitled that Zambians should help her with her entire arears when infact many that donated the K10s are not even working. She even has a job, I am sure she can be paying the school something towards the huge bill.

Because of her post others have tagged me a scammer, really for K700?? Surely you don’t know what you are talking about about. I will focus on my business and work with those we identify as genuinely in need. Last month we saw how Gibson Zulu cleaned toilets to raise his fees and as a Foundation we sent him the money promised K10,000 without hesitation. Sometimes what one harbours in their hearts is what leads many to want to help. Gibson Zulu starts his University in July with fully paid fees.

Before you call me a scammer ask yourself can I publicly come to facebook to ask you to help? Infact, money I have I would easily pay it off but sometimes I test people to see how they really are and I can tell you Gibson Zulu is one humble and grateful soul no wonder why even Prophet Abraham in the US donated K15,000 to him for business. From this we have learnt our lessons never to be involved in raising funds in such a fashion. Many of you are waiting to see negative posts then you start commenting rubbish!

We wish her well in her future endeavours…

• Lillian Mutambo-

By Chilufya Tayali

IT WAS ALL JOY AND LAUGHTER WHEN I MET DR. FRED M’MEMBE AT HIS OFFICE, THIS MORNING

I may not have worked for The Post to claim that Dr. M’membe taught me how to write, but my first public articles were written in The Post, where I used to comment on the editorials of The Post.

I was intrigued my Dr. Fred M’membe’s critical mind, from the time when I was a youth.

I find Dr. Fred M’membe to be one of the most intelligent, informed, educated, principled, disciplined and envisioned person we have in this Country.

However, I didn’t spare Fred M’membe when some political operatives made me believe that, the man was a State mischief who never even paid Tax and took advantage of Mwanawasa and Sata presidency.

Later on, I came to know the truth when I met him and he went through everything. From that day onwards, I have always been on his side and I fought the closure of The Post with him and his wife Mutinta Mazoka.

Today, it was different, I went to him to thank him for standing with me in my difficulties out of the senseless and brutal dictatorship of President Hichilema.

I also expressed my desire to work with him, as President of Economic and Equity Party (EEP), as we fight the brutal dictatorship of President Hichilema.

I clearly told Dr. Fred M’membe that President Hichilema is a failure and we should not allow him to go beyond 2026.

In response, Dr. Fred M’membe commended my gesture and my resolve to stand up against and fight wrong things.

He also gave me two books, one of which is a research on AFRICOM, “Defending our Sovereignty: US Military bases in Africa and the future of African Unity”.

The two books will equip me to engage this Disaster Govt on these US soldiers they are bring on our land.

Thanks very much, Bakalamba BaFred M’membe, you still inspire me a lot and I look forward to doing much more with you for the good of the people of Zambia?

TAYALI THE PUBLIC LAWYER OF THE PUBLIC COURT OF OPINIONS!

EEP – ICHALO BANTU!

ZAMBIA MUST BE OWNED BY ZAMBIANS

The Civil Service Commission has hailed the health workers’ recruitment committee in Mpika district for strictly following guidelines of ensuring that the process is decentralised.

Civil Service Commissioner, Louis Siyandyabantu, praised the committee in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) shortly after monitoring the recruitment process in Mpika today.

The Commission is in Muchinga Province to monitor and evaluate the health workers recruitment process in six districts of the province.

So far, the commission has visited Mpika and Lavushimanda districts.

Mr. Siyandyabantu said it was the government’s desire to ensure that local people are considered in the recruitment process.

“In the past, we had people from urban areas taking up positions in rural areas and once they are on payroll, they leave their station and go back to urban areas while drawing a salary,” he observed.

And Mpika District Health Director, Rodrigue Kamunga, said more than 1,800 applications were received for various positions in the district.

Dr. Kamunga said out of the more than 1,800 applications, a total of 183 applicants have been shortlisted.

“We received a total number of 1,800 plus applicants out of which 183 applicants were shortlisted,” he said.

He added that most of the applications that were received were from nurses but none for the position of midwives.

Meanwhile, Lavushimanda District Health Director, Webster Kambinga, said the district received a total number of 169 applications, out of which only 43 were shortlisted.

Dr. Kambinga said only 43 candidates were shortlisted because there were some positions which were not applied for.

He added that the sub-committee managed to decentralise the recruitment process by ensuring that the local people were given priority in the selection process.

“I am happy that we were given power to recruit these health workers as the successful candidates will be able to contribute to the development of the district,” said Dr. Kambinga.

Government through the Ministry of Health across the country is currently in the process of recruiting 11,200 health workers.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

By Sean Tembo – PeP President

1. Between 2015 and 2018, the American Government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) say that they spent more than $350 million as a donation to Zambia, to improve storm water drainage, water reticulation and sewer systems in selected parts of Lusaka including Kaunda Square stage 1 & 2, Kamanga, Chelstone, Avondale and Mtendere.

2. The only visible infrastructure arising from this project is the bombay drainage system where they put some concrete slab in selected parts of Ngwerere stream from Kamwala to around Kabanana, the upgrading of Kaunda Square sewer ponds where they put a wire fence around the ponds, as well as the erection of a ground water tank under the main water tank in Chelstone.

3. Suffice to mention that flooding in these parts of Lusaka has not improved even a little bit, whereas water reticulation has been made even worse. Before MCC installed the ground water tank in Chelstone, the residents of Avondale used to be subjected to low water pressure. Now, they are subjected to no water at all. I know this for a fact because my mother lives in the area.

4. It is not in contention that this $350 million was a donation and therefore we shouldn’t perhaps ask too many questions. But truth be told, that is a lot of money compared to the actual infrastructure on the ground which this money is said to have bought under this project. As a contrast, we have seen the kind of infrastructure at the newly commissioned Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Centre, which China was able to build with a donation of only $60 million, which is less than 20 percent of the money which the Americans claim to have spent under the MCC project.

5. In conclusion, l have always held the Americans in high esteem as competent and accountable people. But l think the MCC project was a fraud in either one or both of two ways. It is either the US Government exaggerated the amount they claim to have donated to Zambia through MCC, or US taxpayers were defrauded and most of the $350 million was diverted to other purposes and not the MCC project, or both. When l look at the work done under this project, it couldn’t have cost more than $50 million, which leaves more than $300 million unaccounted for. That is in addition to the fact that the project totally failed to achieve its key objectives, as water reticulation and drainage systems are still very poor in these selected parts of Lusaka. So much for American competence and accountability. Indeed, this should be food for thought.

Happy new month ✌️✌️✌️

/// END

SET 01.06.2022

Mr. Kapala writes

KAFUE GORGE LOWER TO BE COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER THROUGH ZESCO FINANCING

The remaining construction works at the $2.3 billion Kafue Gorge power project are being financed by ZESCO and alternative funds after EXIM Bank of China froze funding to the Kafue Gorge Lower project because the PF government defaulted on payments based on the loan agreement. ZESCO is generating internal revenue to ensure that works at the 750 mega watts Kafue Gorge Lower project are completed early and all the turbines come online.

Whereas we are not looking at asking Exim Bank to unfreeze funding to the project, negotiations with China to restructure and reschedule the Kafue Gorge Lower project debt are on course. There is goodwill from China. China knows that the New Dawn Government means business and that we shall abide by the contracts and agreements we have with them.

The Kafue Gorge Lower Power plant was designed to have 5 turbines, each producing 150MW. At least two of the five turbines have been fully installed. In fact, in April 2022, ZESCO indicated that two machines at Kafue Gorge were operational and were producing 300 megawatts while a third one was undergoing a reliability test. They also revealed that the fourth turbine was also earmarked for commissioning soon as final works were ongoing.

We anticipate that the project, which has seen the employment of over 4000 Zambians, who worked alongside more than Chinese workers, will be completed this November. Once completed and at full production, Kafue Gorge Lower will ensure that Zambia becomes a net exporter of electricity. Zambia will be able to sell electricity to our neighbours at good tariffs, which will be able to pay outstanding debt.

This bodes well with new developments that have seen electricity being the highest non-Agro export for Zambia for March 2022, with exports of K300 million (about $18 million) in March 2022 alone. This was before ZESCO and Namibia’s Nampower, in April 2022, signed a power supply agreement for the export of an additional 80 MW in addition to 100 MW that was already being exported after the first agreement was signed in 2020.

The demand for Zambian power is not just from Namibia. The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) was recently quoted in that country’s media as saying that it was in negotiations with ZESCO over the latter exporting 100 MW to Zimbabwe. The negotiations were premised on Zimbabwe making pre-payments for the 100 MW which will come from Kafue Gorge Lower. The condition precedent is that ZESA has to pay monthly deposits of USD 6.3 million to enjoy the facility.

While copper remains the highest export earner, there are limited resultant dollars being remitted back into the country due to the nature of mine ownerships and copper trading. However, export earnings from electricity can have a better impact on the economy, including the strengthening of the Kwacha. This is because ZESCO is wholly-owned by the people of Zambia and the company’s foreign earnings will flow back into the country.

Let me end by saying that exporting of power will not lead to load-shedding as suggested by some people. Kafue Gorge Lower will ensure excess power even though we are likely to see Kariba North Bank Power Station operating at about 3m below the level of last year at this time due to poor rainfall patterns this year.

Good morning.

Hon. Eng. Peter Chibwe Kapala
Minister of Energy

6. 2022

Former Luanshya Member of Parliament Steve Chungu has criticized Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe for entertaining the pro- Vedanta Mineral Resource match-past staged by some Chililabombwe youths last weekend.

Indian investor Vedanta Mineral Resource has reportedly expressed interest to return to KCM.

Chililabombwe youths on Saturday morning staged a match-past demanding the return of Vedanta Resources to take over Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) on the Copperbelt.

Mr. Kabuswe was in Chililabombwe on the day and received a petition from youth’s representative Chishala Mwamba which advocated Vedanta’s return to KCM.

Mr Kabuswe, who is also Chililabombwe Member of Parliament, told the youths that the Government is committed to make sure that KCM and Mopani Copper Mines come back to life, and create more jobs.

But Mr. Chungu said the Mines Minister should not have associated himself with the controversial pro-Vedanta match-past in Chililabombwe.

He said the incident has the potential to tarnish Mr. Kabuswe’s image because the match-past was clearly stage managed.

Mr. Chungu said it was clear for anyone to see that the Chililabombwe match-past was funded by people with interests in KCM.

“It is because Vedanta sponsored the recent Mining Indaba in South Africa that is why we Zambians want it to come back? Why should we Zambians be cheated by these investors? It is shocking that we Zambians can even stage manage match-pasts to earn vague support from people. Those were just youths paid from compounds to join the fake solidarity. It was not correct to do that and the match-past was not a genuine thing. Please Zambians wake up and start seeing through these things,” Mr. Chungu said.

“He (Mr. Kabuswe) knew what was happening. If he is the Mines Minister for sure and cares about the Zambian people he should have first said no to that because the people that were doing that have got nothing to do with mining. These people came from compounds all over Chililabombwe and were being brought in bus loads. Where have you ever seen people that are coming to offer solidarity over something they come in bused? Who was paying for that? We can no longer be cheated. These minerals we have in this country more than 100 years ago our relatives died because of Cecil Rhodes. He was mining and killing our people and again we are allowing the same imperialists to come back into this country and mine more of our minerals,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chungu has strongly opposed the proposed return of Vedanta to KCM saying the Indian investor should not take Zambians for granted.

He said the mining conglomerate failed the people of Zambia when failing to run KCM properly prior to the liquidation enforced by the previous Patriotic Front regime.

Mr. Chungu said the decision to liquidate KCM by PF was timely and right owing to Vedanta’s inertia to continuously invest in the mine that has operations in Chingola, Chililabombwe and Nampundwe.

“What is there for Vedanta to show that they will come back a better investor? They want to come back and mine our minerals and leave us with nothing. It is wrong thinking that because Vedanta were the owners of the mine so they should come back. We have had other mining firms that have gone. Anglo Americans left this country, they left Konkola Copper Mines but they want to come back with a different name. Who shouldn’t think that they are even part of the Vedanta scheme to return,” Mr. Chungu said.

In a letter addressed to Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe, the Group CEO, Sunil Duggal further said upon return Vedanta shall implement a salary increase across the board.

In November, 2020, a Zambian court ordered a halt to liquidation proceedings for Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to allow owners Vedanta and ZCCM-IH to proceed to arbitration, the provisional liquidator said in a statement.

A Qatari prince’s ex-wife has been found dead from a reported drug overdose after she claimed her former husband inappropriately touched a child.

The body of Kasia Gallanio, the third wife of billionaire Abdelaziz bin Khalifa Al Thani, 73, was found in her Marbella home on Sunday morning, May 29.

She was 45 at the time of her death and had been going through a bitter custody battle with her ex, the uncle of the current Emir of Qatar.

Ms. Gallanio had claimed the former oil and finance minister for Qatar had touched a minor in an inappropriate way. He vehemently denies the allegation.

Spanish cops discovered Ms. Gallanio’s body in a bed on Sunday morning, May 29.

According to El Pais, she was found after her youngest daughter, who lives in Paris, told police she’d been unable to contact her mum for days.

The Spanish newspaper said several officers were allowed by the doorman to enter the apartment complex in Marbella at around 8am on Sunday.

And Le Parisien reports that a Paris court had dismissed her custody demands just days ago, on May 19.

The case was postponed pending a psychological evaluation after Ms Gallanio was hospitalised with a “breakdown”, it’s alleged.

The former couple shared two 17-year-old twins who initially lived with Al Thani before they decided to move in with their mother in Marbella.

She had alleged her ex decided to “cut them off” as “punishment”.

Their third daughter, 15, lives with the Qatari royal in Paris, where he was exiled after a coup in 1995.

They have been in an ugly legal battle for 15 years over the custody of their children.

Courts heard Al Thani accused his former wife of being an “alcoholic”, while she in turn accused him of abuse.

In a recent interview with Women’s World, Ms. Gallanio said: “The little one is not allowed to talk to me which makes me extremely sad because she gets a lot of material things from her father so it’s almost like manipulation and blackmail.

“It’s like a part of my body is missing.”

Speaking to Olive Press – a Spanish English-language newspaper – a close friend of Ms. Gallanio described her as a “good person”.

Allegations against Al Thani emerged during a recent court hearing in Paris.

A post mortem will be held to establish the cause of Gallanio’s death, with initial indications suggesting that she died of a drug overdose, police say.

THE IMPLICATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT ON DEATH PENALTY CLAUSE

The President has made a commendable statement on the death penalty clause which he desires to have it abolished in Zambia.

This Presidential statement is heavily packed, in my view, as it indirectly means that the President is calling for the holding of the National Referendum to abolition death penalty in Zambia.

I say so because Part III of the Constitution which is the Bill of Right’s can’t have its text, punctuation such a comma or full stop changed, altered unless, as required by Article 79, such an alteration or change is subjected to a National Referendum.

In this case, the Death PENALTY clause is contained in the Bill of Rights under Article 12 under [Protection of rights of life] which is entreched and caveated.

Article 12(1) states that “no person shall be deprived of his life intentionally EXCEPT in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence under the law in force in Zambia of which s/he has been convicted*

To lift this caveat to facilitate an alteration repeal, deletion or amendment of the death penalty clause (Article 12(1), Article 79 of the Constitution of 1996 does provide adequate guidance.

Art 79 guides that *a bill for the alteration of Part III (Bill of Rights) of this Constitution [which contain Art 12] or of this Article [79] shall not be passed unless before the first reading of the bill in the National Assembly it has been put to a *National referendum* with or without amendment by not less than fifty per cent of persons entitled to be registered as voters for the purposes of Presidential and parliamentary elections.

Therefore, and perhaps why some leaders failed before us could be because they were avoiding National Referendum.

With the new Presidential zeal on this death penalty clause, it will be unavoidable to avoid the holding of a National Referendum and a national referendum is an unavoidable necessity.

With this zeal and the enthusiasm from the President to work round the clock to do away with the death penalty clause from the country’s statutes, let us prepare for the holding of the National Referendum.

I submit

McDonald Chipenzi.

SOME of the units which are part of the now infamous 48 (51) houses had their electricity applications made in the names of Susan Sinkala and Charlie Chitala, a Zesco employee has told the court.

Susan Sinkala is the wife of Charles Loyana, accused of owning the said properties believed to be proceeds of crime.

Zesco head of customer services manager narrated how the company received a warrant from Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) requesting for information concerning the meter numbers of the infamous 48 houses (now 51 houses) in Chalala area.

This is in a matter in which Loyana, a senior accountant at the Ministry of Finance and his wife Susan Sinkala, an assistant accountant at the Ministry of Works and Supply, are facing charges of possessing and concealing properties worth K37 million suspected to be proceeds of crime.

The couple pleaded not guilty to the charges before magistrate Faides Hamaundu.

Kennedy Chisanga, 46, of Woodlands, Chalala, a witness testified that in 2019 ACC requested for details registered at Zesco for the three meter numbers which were under the names of Susan Sinkala and Charlie Chitala.

“I provided the information to the ACC, and they requested that they wanted the active form for electricity connection,” he said.

He said ACC also requested Zesco to avail the meter numbers and actual documents concerning the meter numbers.

“I checked on our database called customer management system and I managed to retrieve the details under 32 of the meters shared by Zesco. Four applications were rendered to Zesco which I broke down as follows, first was to connect supply points, second was to connect 13 supply points, third connected one supply point and lastly connected seven supply points which made a total of 32 points,” he said.

Mr Chisanga said out of four applications, three were registered under Susan Sinkala. And the application for the third unit was received under Sinkala by Zesco in 2014.

“The fourth for the seventh unit was received in 2017 and the name for the forth application was registered under Charlie Chitala. I compiled the information sharing all the details pertaining to the 32 connections that Zesco did,” he said.

He said in his testimony that Zesco managing director shared all the information with the ACC through a letter.

He said he managed to submit all the applications to ACC as per instruction.

And in cross examination, defence lawyer Willis Muhango requested to know where the documents stated that his clients were owners of the said houses.

Mr Chisanga in response said it doesn’t show the owners but shows the landlord’s names as Susan and Charlie.

“So are landlords the same as owners?” he asked.

“No,” the witness said in response. Why didn’t you investigate so as to verify the data?

Mr Chisanga said in response that his mandate was to connect and make money not doing verification or verifying details for the owners of the house.-DAILY NATION

Reuters reports that Mining and commodity trading giant Glencore has helped to fund Zambia’s Mopani Copper Mines as the company has been unable to pay its bills on time and the state has yet to find a new investor more than a year after it took over the complex.

Glencore (GLEN.L), which sold Mopani to state mining investment firm ZCCM-IH (ZCCM.LZ), has since helped cover some of Mopani’s running costs, including power bills and purchases of copper concentrate from third parties, two sources with direct knowledge said.

One of the sources said Mopani was not generating enough revenue to meet current expenditure, adding that the company could not afford the investments needed to mine more and take advantage of high copper prices .

The sources asked not to be named because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Glencore has provided letters of credit to Mopani on two or three occasions when the company did not have enough cash to buy copper concentrate, effectively guaranteeing Mopani’s purchase, a third source close to Mopani said.

Mopani Copper Mines CEO Charles Sakanya said the company had not received any loans from Glencore and that claiming Glencore was covering some of Mopani’s costs was speculation. He did not respond to a request for comment on the letters of credit. Glencore is the sole off-taker of copper from the mine, under the deal that saw ZCCM-IH take control of Mopani on March 31 last year for $1.5 billion in debt and a nominal $1 in cash.

The sources did not say how much funding Glencore had provided.

Glencore did not answer Reuters’ questions about Mopani’s costs, but said in a statement: “Glencore is continuing to work alongside ZCCM-IH to ensure the success of Mopani through our offtake agreements and related funding arrangements.”

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema, who was elected in August last year, criticised the Mopani deal while in opposition, saying the state should not take on more debt when it had defaulted two months earlier and was in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial support.

Zambia’s need for investment remains pressing.

It reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF on a $1.4 billion extended credit facility in December, but the money cannot flow until Lusaka and its creditors agree on reducing the debt to sustainable levels.

Since his election, Hichilema has asked his administration to find a new investor for Mopani. Officials say they are “very close” to doing so. read more

‘MASSIVE MONSTER’

Mopani’s Sakanya said the mining company had to renegotiate agreements with suppliers, copper concentrate purchase contracts, letters of credit and overdrafts after the change in ownership.

Those negotiations, along with a breakdown at the north shaft in March, resulted in delayed payments.

One supplier said the frequency of payments from Mopani had slowed over recent weeks.

“They’ve got this massive monster to run, and they don’t have enough money to run it,” the supplier said, asking not to be named.

“Yes, we do owe some money,” Sakanya said, adding that he could not say how much as the figure is constantly changing. “It’s something we are working through to resolve.”

Reuters could not independently establish how much Mopani owes its suppliers in total.

A fourth source with direct knowledge said government officials asked Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CECZ.LZ), the electricity supplier to the mine, late last year to relax its payment terms, but CEC refused.

CEC said Mopani has continued to pay its power bills on time.

Zambia’s mines minister Paul Kabuswe, reached by telephone, declined to comment on whether Glencore was providing financial support to Mopani.

“When we find a better partner everything is going to get back to normal,” he said.

Finding a new investor in Mopani is seen as a litmus test for the administration, which wants to show Zambia is open for business and has set an ambitious goal of more than tripling the country’s annual copper production within the next decade.

“I want to find an investor yesterday, that’s the timeline,” Kabuswe said. “I’m in a hurry.”

Mopani, which is more than 80 years old, with its original smelter built in 1937, needs $300 million to fund an expansion that would unlock the potential to produce 225,000 tonnes of copper annually, Sakanya said.

Mopani said it produced 87,618 tonnes of copper cathode in 2021, down from 93,106 tonnes in 2020.

It is expected to produce 80,684 tonnes of copper this year, Sakanya said, putting the near 8% expected to drop down to the month-long breakdown and a planned 45-day shutdown of the smelter for maintenance in July.

Glencore decided in April 2020 to put Mopani on care and maintenance, drawing the ire of the Zambian government which wanted it to stay open, and later in 2020 wrote down the value of the mine by $1.041 billion to $861 million. Glencore said it had invested $4.4 billion in Mopani since 2000.

Reuters

State House challenged to clarify Prof. Oliver Saasa´s Consultancy
…with FQM by anti-graft body Transparency International Zambia

By Staff Reporter
31.05.22

Transparency International Zambia (TIZ), the international anti-corruption body, has asked State House to clarify the intricacies around a huge consultancy mining firm First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has awarded President Hakainde Hichilema´s economic Advisor Prof. Oliver Saasa.

TIZ is concerned that Prof. Saasa, as Hichilema´s top economic guru, could have ´overstepped´ his bounds and found himself in a deep “conflict of interest” case via his consultancy firm Premier Consult that has been paid money to evaluate FQM´s $1.3 billion investment pledge.

TIZ in a statement said, “we urge State House to provide clarity and assurance on Premier Consult´s involvement in the FQM evaluation, in relation to the conflict of interest involving the chair of the President´s Economic Advisory Council (Saasa).”

TIZ also called for “transparency” among those advising President Hichilema adding that, “our concern is not about the capacity of Premier Consult to do the work in terms of their qualifications and experience but rather about the broader principles of accountability and transparency in this matter.”

This is according to a statement issued by Mr Sampa Kalungu the President of TIZ in Zambia.
Last week, the news media carried a story about the “glowing evaluation report” Saasa and his firm have just completed that seems to be cleansing the image of FQM.
The question pundits asked then, being asked by TIZ now, are:

• Isn’t there a clear case of conflict interest in Saasa´s case cleansing a mining company given his proximity to Hichilema?
• Should Saasa have declared publicly, a conflict of interest in the matter given his proximity to Hichilema?
• Where and when was the consultancy that was awarded to Saasa advertised and what criteria was used to arrive at Premier Consult for the job?
• How much is Saasa and his company getting paid for the job?
• Did Saasa discuss the consultancy with Hichilema?
• How independently will Saasa speak for both the President and a foreign mining company?
• How independent is the advice Saasa going give to Mr Hichilema on all matters FQM?

So many questions, as Mr Hichilema´s government and his advisors come under harsh scrutiny for escalating white collar corruption since assuming office nine months ago.

What is more concerning this time around has been the loud silence of the United States and the European Union in checking Mr Hichilema´s government regarding graft compared to the harsh condemnation they had on the previous PF government.

The two (US and EU) have so far NOT given any statement on Mr Hichilema´s decision to give a crony a US$ 50 million fertiliser deal to Alpha Commodities linked to a Maurice Jangulo, a friend of Mr Hichilema, the President of Zambia.
See TIZ full statement below:

EX-MINSTER Ronald Chitotela has been granted leave by the High Court to commence contempt proceedings against the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) acting Director General Silumesi Muchula and 10 others for breach of an agreement not to institute criminal proceedings against him.

Mr Chitotela who served as Minister of Tourism in the Patriotic Front regime sought leave of the Lusaka High Court to begin contempt proceedings against the ACC and its officers.

Mr Chitotela in his application claimed that ACC committed contempt of court to record a warn and caution statement from him for purposes of an arrest and prosecution relating to a property known as Subdivision A2 Lot L/3270/M Ibex Hill in Lusaka which was forfeited to the State and it made the undertaking not to institute criminal proceedings against him as registered in the subordinate court.

He said he was on April 19 and 26, 2022, summoned for interviews at the ACC offices with respect to its alleged investigations.

He said during the course of the interviews, he was warned and cautioned with respect to the property in question.

“ It is hereby ordered and directed that the applicant is at liberty to make an application to this court for an order of committal and that leave to commence contempt proceedings against the 11 be and is hereby granted,” read the ex parte order.

The alleged contemnors cited in the documents are ACC, Muchula, Ivor Mukwanka, Dorothy Cheelo, Glenda Mungalaba, and Raymond Chiboola.

Others are ACC spokesperson Queen Chibwe, Stella Mulenga, Martin Mayembe, Gift Tembo, Kopanp Chilembo and Edwin Mbewe.

In 2019, Mr Chitotela was arrested and prosecuted for the offence of concealing of property suspected of being proceeds of crime contrary to section 71 (1) Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act no.19 of 2010 of the laws of Zambia.

Facts were that on dates unknown but between May 1, 2017 and October 30, 2018 in Lusaka, Mr Chitotela did conceal the said property disguised in the names of Lillian Lufupa Chitotela, property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

He was re-arrested this month but walked to freedom after the Economic and Financial Crimes Court discharged him owing to his settlement agreement with the ACC.

Transferred Magistrate Jennifer Bwalya discharged Mr. Chitotela on the basis that he had entered into a settlement agreement with the ACC for the institution not to commence criminal proceedings against him and the immunity was still in force.- Daily Nation

POLICE JUSTIFY FERRYING OF SUSPECTS TO FAR AREAS: “ANY ZAMBIAN CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT OFFENSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Police Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga has warned citizens to be careful with what they post on social media because anybody from any part of the country can raise a complaint against them.

Recently, PF Information and Publicity Secretary Raphael Nakacinda urged police to stick to the principle of jurisdiction when conducting arrests saying it was abrogation of the law for them to ferry suspects to other parts of the country where the alleged crime did not take place.

But in an interview, Hamoonga argued that social media was far reaching and therefore, anyone in the country could file a complaint about any offensive post they saw.

“Where is the crime scene, because if you post something on social media and somebody sees it in Lukulu or Ikelenge or anywhere, it means that person who has seen has no right to complain? It’s not like it’s only a special sector or group that can report a matter, no, if somebody has said something which borders on the defamation of the President and somebody sees it based in Lukulu, can he wait for somebody in Lusaka to report? No, he can go to the police station and report, so it’s a tie,” Hamoonga said.

“People should be weary that some of these things for instance in terms of social media, you cannot say that this thing was committed this side, where, because it’s a crime. When someone sees on social media, he’s a complainant himself and he has the right to come and complain, so when you are posting something on social media, be careful with what you post on social media because we are all Zambians, we are all equal before the law so anybody can complain.”

Hamoonga said there was no law which stipulated that it was only people within the same locality as the suspect who could report matters to the police.

“Secondly, there is also an aspect of when you stay away from the scene of commission of the crime, if somebody kills somebody here in Lusaka, they can be reported anywhere but the matter and the offence will be done here, ‘the jurisdiction of the offence is this side because that crime is localised,’ but when you post something on social media, somebody sees it elsewhere and he feels there is a crime committed, what stops them from reporting to the police station? Nothing stops them from doing that. You can report to the police station and then the police will investigate and then all those issues of coming to jurisdiction of the offence will come after investigations, where did this happen? But it does not stop the police officers from investigating, no,” said Hamoonga.

“So somebody reports a crime and then the police investigate, then the issues of jurisdiction will come after all has been finalised, and then you to say ‘where did this offence occur?’ But that does not stop police officers from investigating. The police can investigate that matter and if they find that this case we are investigating falls under this jurisdiction, at times even before the investigations are concluded, he can be taken where he is supposed to be tried from but it’s not like it is a preserve of people from same localities to report matters, no, anybody can report a crime.”

(Diggers)