DANGOTE Industries Zambia Limited (“DIZ”) categorically denies the allegations and malicious misinformation made by the Minister of Labour, Honourable Fackson Shamenda that has been featured in international and national media as well as circulated through social media. It is indeed regrettable that the esteemed media houses in Zambia did not request for a comment from DIZ but proceeded to disseminate misinformation.
On Saturday, Mr Shamenda revealed that a former human resources manager at Dangote allegedly attempted to bribe him at a hotel a week ago. Mr Shamenda told the media that he did not report Mr Bala Zango to the ACC because he had information that he wanted to bribe him.
“This man wanted to buy me dinner at Hotel Intercontinental, which I declined, and he had a bundle of money on him. But I hate such things and so I just walked away from him and this is why I visited the company last weekend to warn them that such actions are illegal,” Mr Shamenda said.
Asked how much he was offered, Mr Shamenda said he got so incensed by Mr Zango’s alleged intentions to bribe him that he walked away. Mr Shamenda said he deliberately did not inform ACC because he knew that he would later deal with the matter. The minister said he also wanted to ensure that the investment at Dangote is protected.
Below is the full statement from Dangote
Dangote categorically denies corruption & bribery claims made by Zambian Minister of Labour
Lusaka, Zambia – Monday, 15 September 2014 – Dangote Industries Zambia Limited (“DIZ”) categorically denies the allegations and malicious misinformation made by the Minister of Labour, Honourable Fackson Shamenda which has been featured in international and national media as well as circulated through social media. It is indeed regrettable that the esteemed media houses in Zambia did not request for a comment from DIZ but proceeded to disseminate misinformation. Accordingly the purpose of this Press Release is to set the record straight.
As you are aware, DIZ has to date invested over $400m to build Zambia’s largest integrated cement plant in Ndola, which will be commissioned in November 2014. Without a doubt, DIZ’s entrance into the Zambian market will completely transform the sector, provide employment and indirectly support Zambian businesses.
The public must be made aware that DIZ entered into an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement with the Zambian Government and Zambia Development Agency on 9 December 2010. DIZ subsequently applied for an investment license, began feasibility studies and engaged Zambian environmental consultants and other advisors to advise on issues pertaining to environmental impact assessments as well as Zambian tax & legal issues. DIZ has to date obtained all relevant licenses and has been operating within the confines of the Zambian law.
During the construction phase of our project, DIZ has had numerous interactions with the Government including with the Ministry of Labour. In fact Senior Management and members of the Board of DIZ have on several occasions met with the Honourable Minister and Senior Officials from the Ministry of Labour in Lusaka to discuss labour issues. Honourable Shamenda has in the last 4 months paid the DIZ Ndola plant “four surprise visits” (two of such visits were made at the weekend when no Dangote senior management were available). All of Honourable Shamenda’s visits were conducted in full glare of the Zambian media, whom he brought to the plant without giving DIZ any notice. Thereafter, DIZ made a written complaint of Honourable Shamenda’s actions to its supervising ministry (Ministry of Commerce) as DIZ was beginning to feel that Honourable Shamenda was deliberately looking for wrong doing. DIZ was beginning to feel harassed and unwelcome in Zambia and immediately brought this to the attention of the Ministry of Commerce.
A meeting was subsequently held between Senior Officials at the Ministry of Commerce and DIZ, wherein DIZ was assured that GRZ were fully committed to creating a conducive business environment for investment and further encouraged DIZ to proceed with it’s Lusaka project.
Despite all this high level interaction, it is indeed surprising that Honourable Shamenda chose to have a “business meeting” with a junior member of staff at Intercontinental Hotel after working hours. For the record, Mr. Zango Bala is an Assistant Manager at the Dangote Group head office in Nigeria. He was assigned to DIZ for 4 months to assist the local team with the set up it’s human resource department and training for Zambian employees who are to work on DIZ’s highly automated plant. Our understanding of the meeting was that it was a purely social interaction. If indeed the Honourable Minister was offered an inducement then as a responsible Zambian and figure of authority he should have reported the matter to the Anti Corruption Commission, which is the body legally empowered to deal with such issues.
DIZ is a subsidiary of Dangote Cement Plc, the largest listed company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, with market capitalization of over $24 billion. Dangote Cement Plc has operations in several African countries, employs over 8,000 people and operates within the highest corporate and ethical standards and therefore takes great exception to this corruption and bribery claim.
Despite this unfortunate event DIZ remains committed to working with the GRZ on further expansion in Zambia and further values the support received from GRZ to date.
For the record, DIZ categorically deny any claims of corruption and bribery and reserve our rights on this matter.
Unfortunately it’s hard to choose who to believe since both PF and Nigerian companies are both reknown for corruption.
@ Zed Patriot – I agree with you 100%.
….plus, everything written in this article is way too technical for a pillock like Shamenda who should just concentrate on following English soccr and perhaps consider taking a bath one day.
Thanks.
Ask TB Joshua, he sees everything in advance except his killing of 44 people!
This shamenda guy reminds me of the stupid Wynter Kabimba. The guy also alleged that Trafigura Petroleum wanted to bribe him but he declined. Exactly WHY did he not report to ACC? It should be a criminal offense to hide corruption (even attempted) in Zambia especially by the most senior government officials who claim to hate the vice. To me it appears it’s a deal-gone-bad situation.
Ba Shamenda, you may have actually requested for a bribe and nothing came through, hence the obvious harassment of DIZ. These are proper investment schemes thanks to late Mwanawansa & MMD; please do not disturb the momentum you failure.
Look at it from the other angle. Is it not a crime on the part of the one who was to be corrupted to fail to report or concealing a matter of the attempted corruption until the other party has fled beyond the reach of the long arms of the law?
And you PF Cadres with blame UPND for your own mess caused by Shamenda.
If crooks can easily get hold of zambian passports that simply tells you how corrupt issuing authorities are! NOW did this useless minister follow the right channel of reporting the alleged bribe NO.
This man has a poor track record of labour issues from the time he used to head the communications union!
Don’t demonise Nigerians Zambians are also thieves and bloody corrupt its just that some are in super league whilst we are in division 2 south!
This issue is simply the Mafioso boss Mahtani at play using hirelings and puppets like Shamenda. For those not in the know, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, owner of DIZ is Africa’s richest man and the World’s 23rd richest. He is worth USD 23 Billion according to Forbes Magazine. His cement investment in Zambia is set to dwarf Mahtani’s cement business hence this witchunt which is designed to result in the closure of Dangote. Since Mahtani bankrolls the PF, he is out to eliminate any competition. Just check out the recent deportation of the two South Africans under similar dubious stories and you know you are dealing with a business sociopath.
This is a typical case of a pot calling a kettle black! Mr Shamenda should just admit that he wasn’t offered enough bribe for him to agree to be bribed.
And 4 surprise visits in 4 months! What was he looking for?
Shamenda has been caught with his pants down far beyond knees. This Minister of Labour has been hopping to induce Dangote Industry pay him some homage by believing that Nigerians are all corrupt.
Since this Cement Industry arrived on the Zambian scene in 2010, illiterate crooks of Shamenda’s calibre have no respect for company which evolved prior to PF grabbing the reigns of government. Shamenda exploited Sata’s illness to solicit money for his on ends. Failure to solicit money from Dangote then prompted Shamenda to sing PF’s popular songs of allocating corruption allegations to innocent persons.
One has to have a close look at Shamenda’s face to assess his honesty in his role as a Trade Unionist and accidental role as Minister in PF Govt. Shamenda is a LIAR.
i agree with you. the whole minister talking about a corruoption issue in the media when he knows the course of action to take. why rush, maybe he is the one who wanted to corrupt the man from dangote. mind u there are many problems in shamenda contuency , including youth unemployment. ba mudala work as a minister not as a trade unionists, you are a minister not president of zctu. lets grow. dangote is doing u good to meet what u promosed pipo in ndola
Is this a sheer case of total incompetence? A minister who still thinks he is a trade unionist?
The whole saga is incredible. For a start what was the point of rushing to the media and not the ACC? Two, why meet a junior manager at a hotel after working hours and not the office? And, three, 4 surprise visits leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
One very much doubts the Minister’s intentions here.
Several questions are troubling
1. why didn’t Shamenda report the matter immediately to ACC ? Why does he raise it now when the person who allegedly tried to bribe him as since left the country ?
2. Why was Shamenda as Minister going to do at the Dangote Factrory without even informing the company management ? Why does the entire Minister start conducting inspections to check compliance with labour issues ? Wasn’t he sending some ‘signals ‘ to the company ?
3. And above all why did he agree to meet the Dangote official at the hotel after 17:00hrs ? That alone should be construed against Shamenda . In a serious country he would resign or get fired for that alone , as the circumstances of the meeting do not seem innocent.
I hate corruption and Nigerians are the worst culprits when it comes to this “malignant stinking cancer”. The company seemed to be aware of the meeting, its Fackson I tend to believe here! They can take their plant back to Boko Haram, maybe TB Jushua can use proper cement to build his evil synagogue so that there are no more collapses with calamitous loses of life. I also wonder how TB failed to foresee the building collapse but through veering in his long horoscope could see Sata situated thousands of miles away, kicking the bucket!
MAY GOD DELIVER YOU
Stop stereo typing. Debate issues, is Kapoko a Nigeria or Zambian?
You are honestly sick! If you cant see Shamenda’s lies in this story then you are dead.
@Tommy Sankara
Listen to ZedPoorPeople.
NIGERIA = a pseudo name for corruption , PF = a pseudo name for inbred liars …..two entities cemented together using Dangote cement of suspect integrity.
Dangote is Nigerian. I end here, nothing more to comment.
At which police station did Shamenda report this case. I think he expected more and was offered less
So what? Is La farge Zambian? Is Illovo Zambian? Is Barclays Zambian? Is Stanchart Zambian?
The Honourable minister was not professional and lacked ettiquette in the manner he adressed this issue, whether true or false.
The fact that the alleged meeting was held outside working hours and away from company premises, the minister should have atributed the bribe in any case to the individual and not the company, unless the said manager had put it to him that he was sent by management.
The honourable minister is a dishonest thieving !diot, just like most of the PF ministers so nothing surprising here.
Have any of you ever heard of a story about Nama na naMandya? It’s about two extremely gifted and creative thieves who stole from each other. PF govt is a confirmed liar and very untrustworthy, on the other hand Nigeria is a world leader in corrupt activities. Now who is telling the truth here? None, if you ask me. It’s scenarios like this one that prompted Mambwe speaking people to coin the phrase ‘vyakulolavye’. You are completely clueless who to believe.
UNFORTUNATELY OUR BELOVED PARTY THE PF STILL HAS TO DO A LOT OF CLENSING. THIS IS SIMILAR TO WASHING DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC. A HONORABLE MINISTER LIKE SHAMENDA SHOULD HAVE ACTED ABOVE BOARD. HE SHOULD HAVE REPORTED SUCH TO RELEVANT AUTHORITIES INSTEAD OF PAINTING A VERY VIABLE COMPANY BLACK. THIS IS WHAT CAUSES THE CABINET TO LOOK DISORGANISED. WE DONT WANT THIS. PF HAS BEEN IN POWER FOR THREE YEARS AND YET THEY STILL LOOK VERY DISORDERLY.
A real honourable minister should conduct himself in a manner that tells off potential bandits that he is above board and shouldn’t be approached with underhanded business proposals. The PF ministers give the impression they are so cheap they can be bought at even little cost. What a pariah govt we have got!
The alternative was to engage the government officials disturbed by industries concerned in order to obtain a reconciliation statement. At one point the relationship was just normal, without major differences. All of sudden, the differences emerged. The way forward, industries need to show maturity and responsibility for embarrassing senior government officials. Consequently, some form of consultation was necessary. The withdrawal of the earlier statement would then be obtained.
We know that FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS bribes the government on a weekly basis. Their top immigration operative from Ndola, travels to Lusaka every week with a briefcase full of US$. This has been going on since 2006. That is how First Quantum is able to get work permits for expats who do not even have a diploma. Yet, Zambian graduates are languishing in the compounds, doing menial jobs. Please wake up Zambia?
We all know who wanted 2 bribe the other, Zambia & Africa as a whole needs Dangote more than Dangote needs Africa, worse still Zambia, so that dirty Shamenda should just shut his beak & contemplate taking a srub/bath, in jik for that matter…very stupid minister
Shamenda wanted more than dinner. He was disappointed the official only provided dinner. Poor Shamenda, by the way did you actually eat the dinner, which will be corruption? Ministers have lots of privileges to go this low.
Dangote, can not categorically deny on behalf of someone they have sent away. They should bring him back to answer to the ministers accusations. Secondly, there is no point in linking the economical value of the plant with the actions of a senior member of the company. Talk about the issue and not about how much money you are pumping into the ecconomy. Lets separate the issues. If the guy has gone simply say he is no longer with the company. By denying it, they are simply emforcing what everyone thinks of Nigerians.
Fackson is facked up. He would have reported the chap. i guess he just wants attention.
Nubian princess needs deliverance. Why do you hate the Prophet so much? Has he been destroying your marine kingdom? One day we shall watch you live on Service.
Dangote is a well respected businessman who has inspired many youths from all over the world. Is it because he is your fellow black man that you accept anything the western media tells you? There are many good Nigerian people for your own info.
Shamenda and co need to concentrate on the real corrupt people stealing copper from Zambia…oh sorry I forgot they are white people therefore they are clean. Black inferiority mentality is a real cancer.
How can we fight corruption if the high ranking officials do not know the proper channels and procedures to report it to the ACC. How do you expect a lowly ranked civil servant to report it if this empty tin let this manager off and walked away, I believed the manager in question has even been relocated back to Nigeria…probably promoted in another Dangota subsidiary company.
This is not the first time this has happened Kabimba correct me if i’m wrong made the same allegations….Shamenda knew he was going to be bribed but failed to take measures maybe the money was not enough hence walked away. What useless leaders we have in power.
Ba Shamenda,utumwemfu mulebeya.Nika style kaku Union ako,you area minister
Why ACC is not taking action?
Waiting for instruction from “higher authority” or no “official” complaint was received or………
Nigeria is one of the craftiest countries on earth, if not the most. The population stands at about 180 million. Compare that to Zambia’s 15 milion. Scheming is a way of life for an average nigerian. It is clear that both parties in this story are not innocent. For Dangote’s part, the poor boy was used as a pawn just in case the deal goes soar as the boy was on his way out of the country. Therefore it would be the company’s word against Shamenda’s. Shamenda wanted a kick-back from Dangote based on his perception of Nigerians and exploited labour violations complaints levelled against the company by zambian employees. He felt short-changed and decided to sing in the hope that he will be seen to be doing his job. Alas! this has back-fired. Nothing new, typical pf shenanigans, yawn..
“this man wanted to buy me dinner (nshima) at hotel intercontinental which I declined. and he had bundle of money on him and I just walked away,” no.. no.. noooo ubufi. since the minister saw him with a bundle of money he should simply phone ACC to come and arrest the culprit. according to this statement may be the money was too little and then why nshima. others opt to buy food for themselves what they want its money………… even my self I can refuse to be bought food in a hotel I too consider my children
Criminals of all hues and stripes will always plead not guilty!
Ever thought to ask, why will Dangote want to bribe the minister? They already had all permits and were really not yet producing anything. So had no labour issues.
Now ask answer the following:
1) Why was a whole minister doing surprise spot visits? Did he even have the skill set required to detect any deficiency?
2) Why will a minister of GRZ be meeting an assistant manager in a hotel?? Typically a minister is looked upon with respect, why did an assistant manager feel comfortable and bold enough to offer a minister dinner in a local hotel in public view?
3) Nigerians may have a reputation for corruption and Zambia is considered the land of the saints. Why hasn’t this minister been brought to book? Why hasn’t the government said anything?
In a hotel, maybe they are gay
“This man wanted to buy me dinner at Hotel Intercontinental, which I declined, and he had a bundle of money on him. But I hate such things and so I just walked away from him and this is why I visited the company last weekend to warn them that such actions are illegal,” Mr Shamenda said.
So mr shamenda or water,whatever your name is,when you saw a bunddle of money, you concluded it was meant for you before the man said anything. Poor thinking indeed. The money was meant for cola nut at the hotel. U did’nt report because the money that remained was not given to you,the niger man put it back in his ukwa bag. shut up,u ve nothing to say. u are corrupt.
you r sharp. when i met mr shamenda he was in a big car, so shamenda wanted to give me his car, kikikiki. shamenda! shamenda@ shamenda! how many times dd i call you. WRONG, not four times , its three times, change the way u work or else HEMCS has no time for such, bakamisowa
If you are offered a bribe, there are only two options: accept and shut up or refuse and report. But the bearded PF wants us to believe he refused: why didnt he call ACC? why is he reporting now? was the bribe to small? Last time a Minister (Wynter) did something like this the ACC wanted details, so shamenda should provide details to ACC rather than seek publicity through the media to appear as a saint. After all a saint is a former sinner
That is whistle blowing the Shamenda style. Effectively no bribery took place. He expected to be bribed but was not. His claim that the gentleman tried to bribe him is absurd. It is akin to a beautiful lady claiming that the gentleman who smiled at her was trying to seduce and propose her. That is blockheadedness. Mr. Shamenda was disappointed not to have been bribed by the gentleman in question. Like Potiphar’s wife, he is now blowing the whistle in order to get back at the guy.
….interesting situation indeed….this is DIZ word against Shamenda’s. DIZ have a lot to lose on this than Shamenda. Oh yes….REPUTATION, INTEGRET and DIGNITY of DIZ is at stake. That’s why DIZ have gone at length to release ‘unnecessary’ write up telling us how big they are, how much investments made in Zed, how many people they have employed world wide all in an attempt to repair the perceived damage. Despite revealing how big they are, they have no shame to tell us that an ASSISTANT MANAGER in such a ‘big’ industry is a ‘junior’ staff…Since DIZ has more to lose, why not challenge shamenda in the courts of law to prove his allegation…??…Shamenda walked away because the ‘bundle’ was not jaw dropping..period.
….its unperceivable that a ‘junior staff’ can have a date with a senior minister without informing ‘seniors’ and indeed getting a blessing from them..??..How come DIZ is coming out as being surprised that the meeting took place……these are the suspicious grounds on which if our ACC or ZP ‘Scotland yard’ were sharp/vigilant, would build a case around….
…that ‘bundle’ was not from his pocket….as a ‘junior staff’ he wouldn’t dip into DIZ coffers without approval of the ‘seniors’ unless he was ‘senior’ enough to do so……where are our ‘Scotland yard’ kanshi…??
Zambians are the most annoying people on earth DIZ is trying to help your economy and producad jobs and all you say is poo! A nigerian company is trying to help your lives *****s, how many zambian companies can invest up to $400mn in their own countries poor maggots
@Orina..whatever that means, from your construction of sentences one cannot be very far from guessing that you are a Nigerian. DIZ have not even started full operations yet. As a people(Zambians), we have lived our humble lives without DIZ. Though we very much appreciate the investment and the benefits DIZ will / and has brought to Zambia, we wont sit back and let the so called ‘rich’ exploit our values. We may seem to be gullible to some extent, but we are a very intelligent species. We would rather remain poor but proud and free than rich but exploited and in slavery conditions.
If you and I had to travel any where in the world and I mean anywhere including your country(Nigeria), most if not all the people would want to associate with me than you and that’s a fact…..WHY..??
I’m not done with you Orina, DIZ have not come to Zed just to throw money around or just to create employment.. NO !!..far from it. Their priority is to make money. Negotiating on machinery, equipment and spares is almost non existence, so the only easy way is to negotiate and maintain very low slavery wages in order to maximise the profit..and that’s exactly what that Shamenda ‘meeting’ was meant to discuss. I guess DIZ had easily dribbled passed their way thru the ministry of finance(hope not), and thought will easily pass thru the last man in defence(Shamenda) for them to score a spectacular goal..the way he appears rough, that’s how rough he is on the pitch..his tackle was spectacular now DIZ are crying for a penalty…Zero..that was a dive, they deserve a yellow card
kuwona kwanga chabe ine, shamenda anadya mahafu, anadya kudala , fulu stopu. atutumila bwanji kuileta nkani pabwalo
Zambians, ask yourselves, why is Liato very rich? Simple, he was minister of labour. So why shouldn’t Shamenda make money also. These are simple issues.
Nubian Princess I didn’t know you where so stupid to judge a man of God. I wish and hope God forgives your soul.