Copperbelt Provincial Minister, Mwansa Mbulakulima has said Copperbelt province is a good province to do business investments in.
Mr. Mbulakulima said this at the Ndola International Airport today when he received a 20-man Chinese delegation that is in the country to carry out a copper and power generation feasibility study tour valued at $100m.
He expressed happiness at the Chinese investors’ decision to invest in the mining industry, to contribute to Zambia’s economic development.
He further commended the Chinese for their plans to put up a power generation plant that would supply electricity to the three mines that they intend to open up in the country.
He assured the Chinese investors that they had made a sound judgement to invest in Zambia, because the country is geographically well located for maximization of business undertakings.
Speaking earlier, the Chinese delegation leader, Shu Yinbiao, who is the Executive Vice President of State Grid Company expressed the need for Zambia and China to partner in face of the current global economic crisis and explore the best means of protecting the economies of the two friendly nations.
He said his company had already started negotiating with the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO)on setting up the planned power generation plant.
The Chinese delegation will later proceed to North Western Province where they intend to open two mining companies.
Mr. Yinbiao explained that his team was interested in opening up three mines, one located on the Copperbelt and two in Mwilunga in North Western Province at a total cost of US $3billion.
ZANIS
We are slowly but steady losing what we have to the chinese. At the end, we will remain without any say. Has anybody ever heard of strategy?????
The chinese are playing the game, and we are being played. Long term, we are not going anywhere. Even cockroaches will disappear from Zambia.
You think it’s Foreign Direct Investment when the whole nation has been sold down the river.
With our leaders anything called investors is welcome. Dear zambians, there is no need for us to give out as many mining area as possible with the current govt policy. The country is not benefiting anything, no value is added to the development of this country in terms of infrastracture. When all the minerals are finished these guys will move out leaving open areas for our children’s children to start filling up. They will even go to an extent of borrowing money from IMF/ World Bank to fill up the openings left. Then They will ask the benefits the country got by giving away mineral resources. ZERO.
China need our minerals just as the West needed our minerals during their development. The West does not need much copper anymore. There will come a point too when China will not need much copper anymore.
In all these deals we Zambia must get the best possible outcome. I hope our national leaders can do that.
Ba Mbulakulima, this has nothing to do with Zambia’s geo-position. It’s all about minerals. The Chinese have not come to do regional trade, but to mine our minerals and ship them home for construction projects. Our friends are developing their nation.
Having mines in Zambia is one thing. It’s another thing for Zambia to profit from them. It would be great if the mines were owned by Zambia. Hope some windfall tax etc will be brought back.
These are things Parliamnet should spend their energy discussing. Our MPs must show that they care for our well being. These minerals are ours. The MPs should make sure that the minerals and all natural resources are being exploited for the benefit of Zambians. Parliament should be accountable to us, the people they are there to represent.
How i wished Copper was a living thing which could grow and replenish itself. However, it is not and we are doomed. Man has destroyed the earth to his peril
Well well well let the ignorance begin. I have not heard of any Zambian businesses that have showed interest in running the mines so please stop complaining. Zambians are a failure to themselves and their country. 45 years of independence and all you can do is blame the government for your short-comings. Some countries have archieved without your so-called government help. So please shut up and start archieving and helping each other instead of being selfish.
Not chinese please…
There was a very sad story on ZNBC about a chinese firm that will not give its employees fire protective clothing despite them working in furnaces. How do these guys get work permits?
Maggie, you’re so right. It has taken far too long for Zambians to realize that they need to do serious business in their own country (not just tuntemba/salaula) instead of waiting on the government. Zambians should learn to team up & put their heads together and plan. There is always money to be sourced when you have a good business plan. Look how even Zimbabweans, Kenyans, Somalis, Congolese, etc are setting up companies right under our noses and all we do is sit & complain about our government. These other chaps don’t even have governments to talk about & they source most of the money for their businesses right here.
You cannot blame Zambians for this iwe Maggie and Nkosi #s 7 and 10. The situation does not favour a Zambian. I remember not too long ago, I applied for a piece of land to put up a plastic manufacturing plant and it took ages before I was told to wait for the council to advertise in the papers. An Indian came and he was given the same plot I was looking for reason being he was an investor. Now tell me, I am not an investor too. It will take ages before this country will develop simply because useless red tape against Zambians. i have decided to apply for an investment licence and see if I will be be given.
#7 you have no brains and you belong to brainless leadership we have now. No one is talking about mines being run by zambians only. What we are saying is that the country need to benefit from our mineral resources. A few weeks ago the finance minister is on record having said the mines only contribute 2% to the national budget. late last year and early this year mines started closing down due to low copper prices and miners were retreached and there is nothing to point at which has been a result of privitised mines. Better to leave minerals untapped for the future generation than give them away for nothing.
Fagge I have nothing much to say just that your story does not add up so please get real. As for your plastic manufacturing plant where else did you try to secure land since the lot of you think that Lusaka is where its all at. If you are really serious you could get land in Zambia. I recently acquired land to build a college so try a different story. Is it maybe because the indian man had a better business plan and a more enviromentally friendly business than plastic manufacturing? You do realise that such plants are best set up away from the population because they are not enviroment friendly? Try else where outside of town and while you are it, please do some serious research and go through the Ministry of Lands rather than the council.
Nkosi well done and thanks. As for Bwafya I feel sorry for Kaponya who lives abroad. Whether copper prices fall or not there is still a lot to be done in zambia. Future generations need to be looked after now. You are responsible for them as much as everyone else. You have typical zambian mentality; leave it for now but moan moan moan.
Faggie and Maggie am actually impressed with both of you, thats the only way we can develop as a nation we all need to be putting up something to develop our country. I have been investing home too and hopefully we can work with each other too at some point. Wwe have to keep on trying when things havent gone our way.
I dont mind Chinese investing in Zambia but saftety precaustions must be strict. The workers should put on the right gear and do the work righlty no short cutsas they would lead to have accidents. The workers should also be paid good salaries and paid within they pay days.
Thanks Trigo and really we should avoid these slinging matches and work together. I hope things are going well for you Trigo. I know that sometimes its hard only cos our country is a little bit behind but that should never stop us from contributing towards its development. We will get there one way or another.
Maggie,
The Councils administer land on behalf of the Mnistry of Lands if you did not know. Do not assume that I applied in Lusaka, far from it. My market is the DRC and as such the copperbelt is the natural choice. Do not despise Plastic industry just because you are not into manufacturing. My products will be among others, Plastic Chairs, PET bottles for plastic coke/fanta etc. By the way I have a cheaper way of producing plastic moulds for pavers incase your school might need some
Het Trigo, maggie and faggie. I agree with you. WOOOOOW , welcome breath of fresh air, . We Zambians are disadvataged in some areas but we we do not do enuff for ourselves. You see for one year, there was a law that only Zambians should be given licenses for mining industrial minerals ( fertilizer, cement etc) and I did not see any new projects taking off . Now when it is oppened people start crying. secondly we need to recognise that wew do not the resources to carry out some of these activities, so what we need to do start partnerships and bot just cry cry
Faggie, there is nothing wrong with your plans, they are great. But lets not just be cynical whats wrong with a group of business men coming to look for mines to invest in. if you have the capacity, go for it, I will back you
#20 What pains me is I have to part away with $25,000 for a plot when I can used that money to build infrastracture
Unfortunatly thats the private sector driven economy for you. But try to think thru, what way would you propose Govt does it
Successive administrations have failed the country due to corruption and plunder and I think we would be better of as a Chinese colony.
Fagge I have Land in my name so no match slinging cos really you do not have a leg to stand on. You want to sell me plastic then you have to use diplomacy. I do not despise plastic. FYI i obtained my land through the ministry of lands so maybe people are giving you the run around; sorry but maybe you do need to be speaking to someone in the ministry. Your plan or dream sounds alright but you just dont get the fact that plastic is major pollution but that does not mean its a bad idea, its just that you will have to work a bit harder.
Anyway Fagge where are you right now? Are you in Zed or abroad? Do some networking and dont be afraid to ask and listen and understand that diplomacy is the way forward. You can not do things on your own but also sometimes you have to humble yourself.
Fagge, Totally agree with you, the hassle you go through to try to invest in your country of birth, is so unreal it can only happen in Africa. Much more strange is that you even have people who can defend these wrongs, has selfishness for our own become so ingrained in our society that we are more afraid of our own? strange thoughts, strange attitudes just damn unbelievable. Why do we need to be home to be able to invest and contribute? where do you think the money we want to invest is coming from? the number of hoops you have to go through, to try to create a bit of work for our own people is so long it makes you wonder, what kind of country is it that has no confidence in its own people?. Dont give up though, I have to agree though that it can be depressing.
HO CHI MINH CHO MATAKO.HAHAHA
Reuben Muzeya I dont know how you know Fagge eg can you prove he was born in Zambia? You are Fagge arent you? You did not have to go there. Its sad that you had to go and change your screen name . Sad.
27 I know you. You live in islington, London and your Daddy is a preacher. You are a Chakolwa and thats why I banned you from my house!
Maggie,
do not confuse me with Reuben. Reuben and I just share the same sentiments about our rotten system in Zed. I was born and brought up in Kitwe, Zambia. I went to Mitanto Primary school (Joseph Kabwe of Ifya bukaya radio programme) and the Univerisity of Zambia. I have two Masters’ degress and pursuing My PHD. My sister I want to agree with you that u get the title from the Ministry of Lands. But the primary business of acquirning land starts with the the Councils who are agents of the MoL. On diplomacy, i believe I am very diplomatic. I was just wondering how u despise plastics and yet 60% of things around you are made from plastic materials
Chinese investment is good for Zambia but we need a win-win business relationship with them. Apart from financial gains we must aspire the transfer of technology. We are always focused on cash and that is part of the problem. These people have skills that we can acquire and retain. Also the right individuals must be involved with negotiations as Chinese are very intelligent people who will maximize their benefits. As one blogger wrote, they need the minerals and we have leverage to attain development for our country.
I am who I am, and write by my name and has no need to change that. I dont know much about plastics apart from the knowledge I have in terms of usage from a food manufacturing point of view. My background is Food Science and Technology, I was just trying to reflect the frustration you have to go through to try to invest back into the country. Believe me, the difficulties are real and we might have different experiences but it is a fact. I am not here to score points but reflecting experiences that are real. Fagge, keep going but I have an understanding of the experience, Kitwe I stayed in and worked in for a well known food processing company but I am a Mwinilunga, Lunda man but most important Zambian.