By Kombe Chimpinde Mataka
WE ARE risking our political survival on the Copperbelt yet we want to take time to make sure that we make a correct decision over Mopani and KCM, says mines minister Paul Kabuswe
Kabuswe said this when he was winding up debate on the private members bill
raised by Wusakile PF member of parliament Pavyuma Kalobo in which he was urging the
government to recapitalise Mopani and Konkola Copper Mines and that the government not make a decision for political expediency.
Kabuswe told the House that the motion was meant embarrass him but stressed that the government was serious on the matter of Mopani and KCM.
“This government being sure that we are risking our political survival on the Copperbelt yet we want to take time to make sure that we make a correct decision that is over Mopani and KCM and all other assets in
the mining sector so that going forward we do not flip flop in terms of running the economy of this country and that is why we have been methodical as we look at Mopani, KCM as we look at all these other assets. We have even drawn a policy that will be a guide as to how we must run these assets and Mopani inclusive,” he said.
Kabuswe assured the House that Mopani was not under care and maintenance.
He said the government had not refused to recapitalise the assets but that it needed to understand the state in which the assets were.
“Meaning we need to know the legal encumbrances. We also need to know
the physical state of that asset and only then can we say that is the route we want to go. I want to say Madam Speaker that Mopani has
attracted several people who would want to come in but in all businesses, you wouldn’t want to pick an asset that is encumbered with
a lot of legal issues,” Kabuswe said. “It is not that we are trivialising the issue. It is because we want to make correct decisions. Long lasting solutions. Not for political expediency. I do understand and emphathise because I live on the Copperbelt. I am a Chililabombwe member of parliament. I feel what the
Copperbelt people are feeling. His Excellency the President feels what the people of Copperbelt are feeling.”
Kabuswe said it was painful but ‘pus
had to be removed”.
But Kantanshi PF member of parliament Anthony Mumba warned that Mufulira would soon become a dead town.
“Not too long from now Mufulira will become a dead town like Luanshya.
This is how it started and for me I am extremely concerned. We still have a future of over 23 years to take place but by the time the
evaluator goes there, the value of the mine will be so low and what are we going to get of it? Nothing!” he said. “The queues of people I am having at my office asking about when they will be paid, when contractors are going to pay workers, it is becoming unbearable and you can imagine Madam Speaker this time
around the cost of living is difficult. We have a duty as leaders to push the government. They have a lot of issues to deal with. Right now they are grappling with issues of
agriculture inputs, so if us as members of parliament sit back and say ‘no our turn will come for government to listen to us…’ No.”
Mumba said Kabuswe should go to Mufulira and address “their sufferings and wish them well and tell them what he was intending to
do to resolve the government-Glencore contract”.
“Not too long from now Madam Speaker Mopani mine will be totally insolvent. It is now a growing concern but I know the management has not been fully honest about what they are doing simply because
they want to hold on to jobs,” said Mumba.
Mwembeshi UPND member of parliament Machila Jamba said the government
needs to renegotiate its contracts with Glencore and Vedanta.
“They cannot start investing in water. The mine is flooded. You are talking about going to mine copper which is now at 10,000…the mine which is flooded. First of all you close the tap where the water is coming from, drain the water, then you can start mining. Don’t start counting the chicks where there are no eggs,” said Jamba. “I emphathise with the people who brought this motion. This corrupt government which was there, that is why people rejected it. We have just been here one year and some months, we are busy looking at this contract and negotiating with the companies so that we can bring solvency in these companies. We have just been in government for one year. Give us time and we are going to do thing properly not the
way of headless chickens who were signing contracts moving away from the truth and getting kickbacks… you come here and say ‘let us recapitalise’.”
And Sinazongwe UPND member of parliament Gift Sialubalo said the
situation in Mufulira and Kitwe was so bad.
“But it was created by our colleagues [the PF]. What I expected first from the mover of the motion is to apologise because of the decision they took. He would have apologised on behalf of PF. We are where we are today
because of the agreement,” said Sialubalo. “An investor wanted to invest in the black mountain in Mufulira now he is held up because of the same agreement. We are talking of poverty on the Copperbelt created by who? The best thing that we can do is
urge the minister to expedite agreements. The Minister of Justice is here, please help the people on the Copperbelt, attend to the legal
implication of the agreement not recapitalisation.”
In moving the motion, Kalobo said the motion was urging the government to recapitalise Mopani and KCM .
“You have not given us direction. I have given different ways in which you can recapitalise Mopani and KCM,” said Kalobo.
“People want this mine recapitalised. People
are waiting there in the Copperbelt. Of course people don’t doubt the PF when it comes to such matters, look at Zanaco, with Rabo Bank of Neitherlands and Indo Bank. 51 per cent shares it was done properly. People are very doubtful on the part of the new daw government. Look at the Kansanshi issue, where you have even given the 20 per cent that ZCCM-IH owned…That is why we want you to make a clear pronouncement on
the direction you will take.” This is contained in a report published by The mast.