Recapitalize Mopani Copper Mines PLC – Hon. Eng. Christopher Kang’ombe
…..let’s find solutions to sustain the mines….
Parliament News, 8th December, 2022
Yesterday Patriotic Front KAMFINSA Member of Parliament Hon. Eng. Christopher Kang’ombe debated the Motion on the floor of the House urging the New Dawn Government to recapitalize Mopani Mines PLC on the Copperbelt.
To begin his debate the Parliamentarian took the house down to memory on what Mopani Copper Mines was before privatization. He stated that during this period the Human Resource was par excellent both in academia and technical.
“Madam speaker most of us on the Copperbelt were very desirous to work for ZCCM after graduation for one good reason that’s to be enrolled in their training program which was used as a skills transfer program to train locals on mining from extraction of copper to exporting it. This program prepares many miners who today are experts of mining our copper in this mine and today Madam those engineers are well and able both in academia and technically to run the mines and here as I ably support the motion to finance the mine”
The Kamfinsa Strongman also urged the Government through the Minister of Mines to not look at this motion politically as peoples livelihood are on the line and it’s time to discuss solutions and asked Government to state its road map on the future of the mines as people are asking what Government is doing about Mopani Copper Mines.
In 2021, the Zambian Government, through its mining investment arm Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH), completed the 100% acquisition of Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) following its negotiations with Glencore Corporation.
Hon. Kang’ombe further stated that Glencore Corporation had announced its intention to place the mine under care and maintenance sighting the impact of the pandemic and low copper prices. However, this was rebutted by Government because it would have resulted in the loss of employment for 15,000 employees.
The 100% acquisition came with many socio-economic benefits such as employment security for the 15,000 mine workers which has a trickle-down effect on their communities and the nation as large. The acquisition also provided an opportunity for local mine suppliers and contractors to conduct business with the mines.
The KAMFINSA lawmaker also reminded the New Dawn Government to also look at where we are coming from with investors who used the mines to arm-twist Governments with threats of job cuts in election years at the expense of thousands of Zambians.
To the people of the Copperbelt ZCCM was not only a mining company. The company provided a cradle-to-grave welfare system and provided subsidised housing with water and electricity, ran hospitals, schools, sports facilities and social clubs for mineworkers and their families. Many people on the Copperbelt remember this and have nostalgic memories of the ZCCM period as a kind of ‘golden age’
