ZAMBIANS ARE CRYING AS LEADERS LOOT GOLD, SUGELITE, AND OTHER MINERALS-BISHOP CHISANGA
Catholic Bishop of Mansa Diocese, Rt. Rev. Patrick Chilekwa Chisanga, has bemoaned the continued looting and theft of high-value natural resources that are endowed in the country.
He condemned recent attacks against the people of Luapula alleging that the people have a poverty mind.
In his submission to the Parliamentary Orders on 11th October 2023, Minister of Education, Hon. Douglas Siakalima, Committee on Education submitted that the low admission of children to primary schools in Luapula can be attributed to the poverty minds of people of Luapula.
He said the pillaging and theft of minerals such as Sugelite and Manganese in Luapula has been going on and without any benefit to the province but leave more poverty in the mineral rich province.
He called on Government, traditional authorities and stakehooders to protect these resources with strong laws until such a time that the exploitation of the resources can bring development and benefit to the people.
He said that it was, therefore, an insult for any leader to attack the people of Luapula for being poor when the exploitation of its resources is done by leaders and doesn’t benefit the ordinary people of Luapula.
Recently President Hakainde Hichilema fired his provincial minister, deputy permanent secretary, police commissioner and district commissioners over the coordinated theft of Sugelite gemstone at Muombe Mine in Chembe District.
Imagine firing a thief, only to be replaced by a much bigger thief.