Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Beijing cautiously endorses Zambian Poll Results

Share

Chinese officials have given a cautious endorsement of Zambia’s presidential election results, where the winning candidate was highly critical of his predecessor’s economic policies with China.

Beijing has been watching this week’s election results in Zambia closely and anxiously. The African country’s pro-China president, Rupiah Banda, was voted out of office and replaced by Michael Sata, a nationalist politician who campaigned against his rival’s China policies.

On Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei would not say if China’s policies towards Zambia will shift now that Banda is out of office.

Hong says China is a friendly country to Zambia and respects the Zambian peoples’ choice, adding that Beijing would like to work with the new Zambian government to promote friendship and expand what he describes as mutual cooperation across the board.

Earlier this week, Hong dismissed claims Beijing financially backed Banda’s re-election campaign.

Chinese investors will be watching Sata closely to see how he approaches China’s expanding stake in Zambia.

Dubbed “King Cobra” for his sharp-tongued views on what he describes as exploitative foreign investors, Sata has often been critical of labor conditions at Chinese mining firms.

In Zambia, Africa’s biggest copper producer, Chinese mining firms had invested $2 billion by the end of last year. China’s largest metals-trading firm offered $6.5 billion for Zamabia’s Equinox copper mine, in April 2011.

China also has a strong presence in retail and other industrial sectors. It competes with locals in a wide range of markets, including chicken farming.

Zambia is home to two of China’s six Special Economic Zones in Africa. A few months ago, the capital, Lusaka, became the first African city to offer Chinese banking in counter deposits and withdrawals in yuan.

China’s growing presence has sparked resentment, especially over accusations of low wages and poor working conditions in Chinese-run businesses.

While Banda argues China is helping to develop Zambia, Sata says Beijing has too strong a grip on the country.

Beijing is awaiting the details of his foreign-investment policy.

ZANIS

112 COMMENTS

  1. What is so special about the Chinese anyway. When their ‘investors’ shoot innocent Zambians they dont issue any statements, not even apologies. Bogus investors only here to loot our resouces due to corrupt and greedy leadership like Rupiah’s was. Are there any foreigners owning mines in China? No. They have serious anti foreign busness ownership policies there. Everybody wants our copper. Naifwe nomba tutumpeko.

    • Wants wanya u r so dull.  u don’t knw anything aabout world politics and economics. China is a new supa power even america has recognised. So with ur ddullness am not surprised about ur commeny

    • Walasa, Mune, the So-called Chinese Investment was all Bogus by RB, Felix Mutati and team just to enrich themselves. These people where selfish and have made money. China can leave Zambia, as they need us more than we do. Ukutushinga butter pamenso naka Stadiums? You mean we cannot build our own if we utilize our resources properly with proper governance?

      Kabaleya and let them leave chicken Farming for our old mothers (Zambian Women)

  2. No1 – Very TRUE!!!! Namulasa……These Chinese would kill u if u did such in their country!!! Hope Sata sticks to his word and brings tight policies.

    • Zambia is Africa’s largest copper producer. We would be wise to dictate the price of copper. China needs raw materials. We need money and development. I’m sure we can work something out.

  3. most countries in the world can,nt do away with china,but the put emphasison the chinese inverstors to adher to labours laws,ie minimum wage,bargain rights etc.the govt has to protect the local industries like textles,salaula.investors should not be allowed to cook /run restaurants,retailing in clothing.thats not the investment we want.we are looking at real investment like in construction,but the should employ the locals pipo thats creating employment not to bring chinese for simple jobs which a kamponya can do.we want them to be partners in development and if they break any laws the should serve the same punishment like any other pipo.

  4. Nubian princess are you sure? If America needs China what more Zambia. Well unless PF cadres are going to invest their millions of dollars in the mines and other developmental projects I guess we will be fine.America is broke, the european union has problems so that leaves China or PF cadres

    • Dont be fooled by friend. America is not broke. Did Zambia always have China when it was one of the richest countries in the world.

    • LOL! Spot on! If America can’t survive without China, what about us? China and India are the biggest industries on Earth, without ties with them who are we gonna sell our Copper to?

    • You pulled that one right out of your a.ss! Just because the Chinese have money does not mean they do what they like? You are people that get fu.cked in the ar.se by the highest bidder just for a quick buck!

  5. China tell the world the truth,you for sure financed the MMD campaigns,the so called campaign materials all came from China through our airports and boarders.Vehicles what name them,ubufi bane mwema choncholi tabwa wama,give us space elyo twayamba ukuteka we want to show you how it is done,naimwe umo mu ma mine twaisa makamaka ba Mopani.

  6. China needs Zambia and not the other way and we do not want friendship we want to gain out of the copper God has given us. Local construction companies are suffering because RB single sourced Chinese companies. Worldwide countries do no import labor that is already available locally, now what we have here are chinese doing manual labor jobs, selling cheap cloths and RB MHSRIP was busy praising them because he collected kick backs. Can we have the whole china coming here to build a stadium? We only needed experts from china not bricklayers. That is why we have a lot of youth without jobs. But for 10 yrs we have been telling the MMD but they did not listen

    • Absolutely – we need to learn diplomacy – getting what we want from others, while appearing like we’re doing them a favour.

  7. I shocked at some of the comments here. What do you mean Zambia does not need China? Who is going to buy the Copper then? Zambia is only the 9th largest producer of Copper by the way.
    What PF should do is set up policies that will ensure that we get value for the Copper we are exporting to the Chinese and NOT getting rid of the Chinese.
    If the largest economy in the world owes and still borrows money from China, do you think it is logical for one to insinuate that Zambia does not need China? Please people, let us be object and not just yap about senselessly.

  8. I have no sympathy with the Chinese and if Sata gets rid of them, they are merely reaping what they sowed. Previous regimes are to partly to blame for allowing them to even kill and abuse Zambians without justice taking its course.
    Given the demand for copper and other rare earth metal that we have, if the Chinese go, someone else will come – we just have to have leadership with enough self esteem to determine conditions that are favourable to Zambias. Zambia for Zambians indeed. No apologies what so ever (aka kiss my behind) !!

    • Killing anyone in any country is wrong. Zambians are executed yearly in China for drug trafficking. We can learn one thing from this: Our laws are weak and need to address all these circumstances.

  9. I did NOT run away you fulls. This is a stratagic retreat. This time i will come back as a pf kada. In 91 i went and came back as MMD

  10. This election fever has a lot of you delusional, china needing Zambia? Unless you are myopic to world  economic activities or just have been living under a rock. If Sata gets rid of them we know very welll that theres another imperial power there to take their place.

  11. China must know we not in hurry to dig and dish out copper or natural resources for that matter… These are national assets which contribute to nation developmnt… Copperbelt is what it is (was) bcos of copper being managed by GRZ…Now we cant see the benifts…Chief Nkana can not even afford a bicycle…Sata is what we need know… Intenational politics is a shrud business, u need guys like Sata.

  12. Am just waiting to see Satas cabinet. vp=guy Scott. i wanna know the rest. does anyone know when HE will appoint the cabinet? 

  13. Let us liken Zambia to the best tomato grower/seller and China to a restaurant that is in need of a large quantity/supply of tomatoes. As a supplier, would you hope to have China buy from you or import from elsewhere?

  14. #20 thats where the delusion stems from. The biggest tomato(copper) seller to china is not zambia it’s chile. It’s ;olike a tomato seller believing he is the best and has leverage when theres 5 more better than him. If zambia kicked out the chinese who the worlds number one consumers of copper do you honestly think the chinese will suffer when theres literally other countries with copper selling to china.

  15. Countrymen, let reason rise above emotion. For all their ills, our growth at the moment is strongly tied to China….China is the next superpower even America borrows from China. Because of its growth China is the one driving up the demand for copper, which is (sadly) our main export.For as long as we do not diversify and copper remains our bread and butter, we need China. Before we get to a point of strength, we need to humble ourselves and take a few hits.Thats how China did it….they accepted cheap labour from America, many American companies moved there to make profits. Now they have grown and can afford to chase them.We should just be sure we use them while they are using us….stadia, next should be major international airport for the regionetc ….then kick em out.HUMILTY PATIENCE

  16. Demand and supply for copper on the world market,any slight disterbance,what happens?If they can go for it in warzones,what about here in zambia.

  17. Does it mean that since China is a superpower or is it next to being a superpower they should involve themselves in ventures such as rearing chickens, selling cheap poor quality clothes, maliposa, paying Zambians low salaries etc? I personally don’t think so. It is such things Zambia should table with China and China should more or less accept that it’s nationals have gone too far. The poor Zambian man / woman are being made to suffer becos some chinese investor is selling maliposa made in China etc. This is not investment.

  18. We should also think outside the box, i.e. focus on secondary industries that can use copper as raw material and add value, instead of selling it as raw material. It is not acceptable to merely export a bar of copper , create jobs elsewhere (say China) and then buy electrical and electronic gadgets from them. They make more money than we do ten-fold. Image how many sim cards a ton of copper produces in China’s cottage industries and the jobs created there instead of Zambia. Why can’t we have copper based cottage industries in Zambia? That’s the debate we should have as the new Govt steps in. As the saying goes ‘If It Is To Be, It Is Up To Us’.

    • ba lya, you are right…but we still have a question of what comes first ‘an egg or hen’ in zambia. is there a possibility that we can go processing and forging export value goods without adapting the technology of excavating this mineral. it is also naive to think of chasing chinese so that zambians can mine copper; we do not go mining copper, in this era, with hoes and shovels and bring it back to earth in buckets and rake it to smelting on braziers. maybe try a tradeoff, give china one mine for no tax and tell them to build a mining technology company to train zambians. sounds extreme, but what can one say when we cannot accept that we are crippled to attain our wishes?

  19. We dont need them afterall they’ve made enough profit, Just tighten the grip on mine safety policies and other sectors,If not they should leave & take their low quality products somewhere else, For now we dont need their man power but we’re in need of technical support, a few men can instruct our locals on how to design,construct and maintain Zambia and not until we have our first mineral extraction plant/ agriculture revamped/food security, thats when they’ll need us most because they have the largest market and africa has it’s recources.We can & we shall excel, tables have turned for the better. 

  20. just in case you’re have been living under a rock for a while, Zambia has a new presdwa. Ba Sata ba tata eba le teka nomba!

    Ama Chocho lee mwanya no kunya!:)>-

    Those of you who supported RB zee sana, where are you now? I wonder if nevers mumba will go back to being a pastor, waste of space!

  21. We need China. All countries need China at the moment. China is the biggest consumer of
    minerals in the world. What we need to do is to re – negotiate their investment terms so that their investment is of mutual benefit. After all the fact is that Zambia has abundance mineral resources which china needs as raw materials. Sata should just raise windfall taxes or tighten the regulations which allow Investors to syphon all their profits freely out of the country. 

    There is no need for asking the British, American or even Canadians to come in. They will just be middlemen who will ultimately be selling to the Chinese. We need to make the Chinese know that we would rather remain poor than accept the terms which Rupiah negotiated with them, because there’s nothing in it for us.

  22. No man is an island, everyone needs someone. The thing is that when doing business each party should be satisfied unlike the situation which existed where the producer gets peanuts while the buy ends up with a lion’s share. On the other hand people should know that China also produces quality products apart from substandards. The Chinese goods that you can find on the US market are different from what you find here, WHY? America has sound business policies with China while many African countries sell themselves without thinking for the majority. Ask Zambians who ‘ve been to China and ‘ve made a good exploration of the Chinese market there. They will tell you about quality but even Zambian business people go and look for the Cheapest. We have brought ourselves down.  

  23. TRUTHLY SPEAKING, CHINA NEEDS ZAMBIA AND ZAMBIA NEEDS CHINA IN THIS GLOBAL VILLAGE. WHAT WE WILL NOT ACCEPT IS CHINA TO DICTATE TO ZAMBIA AS WE HAVE NEVER DONE SO TO CHINA

  24. Zambia is a nation and needs to be a profitable business as well if are are to boost our economy, we need china and other nations too, but we need to revise the way we do business with them. the interest of Zambians should come first before the investors.

  25. Economists! tell us advantages and disadvantages of being the first African country to allow to a BANK OF CHINA in our land. From my basics I smell a rat

  26. Good afternoon

    Most of the comments above show that a lot of people are quite far from reality. Of course we all know that excessive Chinese influence in Zambia has been a source of public exasperation, especially their control mentality and harsh treatment of Zambian workers (just see shocking video clips on you tube).

    However, the truth is that both countries need each other. China’s booming economy can hardly do without Zambia’s resources and Zambia’s economy can’t prosper without China’s economy. That’s Simply where the growth is – so that’s where the cash is. Our president and his new government will have to find a way of accomodating a more powerful China, whether they like it or not. And the rest of us will have to wish them success as they do so.

  27. Bank of China in Zambia!Bank of China in Zambia!Bank of China in Zambia!Bank of China in Zambia!Bank of China in Zambia!Bank of China in Zambia!Bank of China in Zambia!Bank of China in Zambia

  28. IS KA SENIOR CITIZEN, KA KIZITO, BOOTLIKER ,OTHER MMD VUVUZELAS AROUND? OR HIDING LIKE, CHIMBWI,NKANDU, CHIFWEKELO, CHIFIRE, TEKERE ETC

  29. #35. the banks of china has been in Zambia for over 10 year. its not new, what is new is that now you can change kwacha straight to RMB. just this in it self is good for our Zambia small trade who used to change kwacha to dollar and the to RMB which was a cost due to exchange losses. one more economic reason will be increasing competition in the banking sector which you will agree with me those western banks including SA ones have been a cartel. that is the reason we have very exorbitant interest rates even when our inflation is low

  30. China is NOT a superpower.America is the Super power you like it NOT.You will never buy any chinese currency on the international market but DOLLAR period. Militariry China just managed to have one secondhand ship they bought and refurbished to convert into an aircraft carrier warship while US has ELEVEN IN STOCK all working!!! all belt by themselves. Its a superpower in zambia.Time has to put things straight. They collaborated with the MMD thieves to make believe that zambia can only survive with china. Kiss your asses MMD simpathisers You learn to survive as opposition party. We have graduated so we hnow better.

    • i think you are very delusional alot of people know that the chinese rule the world whether we like it or not. why do you think we are experiencing an economic meltdown here in europe and in the us? the whites are really taking it hard especially the brits, they still want to rule most of the countries and the yanks(americans) are keeping an eye on china’s interest in africa but cant do anything ’bout it. noone can survive without it and thats a fact.

  31. Dont be fooled by friends. America is not broke. Dont be brain washed by imperialists.

    Did Zambia have China when Zambia was one of the richest countries in the world? Chinese are cut throat business people, their mob is more ruthless than the Italian Mafia.

    Chinese orphanages are the worst in the world, you think China has Zambia at heart? Open your eyes. China can invest in Zambia but it has be a fair deal all around.

  32. #38 We are here , just get on with running the country than looking for people whom you want to unleash your thugs on.

    I hope your president is not as despicable as some of you because if he is , it is simple , just measure your blood pressure after arguing with somebody and you will see what am talking about ..and sustain such behaviour for an extended period, you face the consequences.

    So please spare us another costly presidential funeral and by elections. Focus on delivering your 90 days miracle. We want you to succeed because we are all Zambians and we are doing this for Zambia.

    If you thought we shall vanish, you are wrong and mistaken and in for a very rude shock. This is 21 st century my friend.

    BTW Count down: it is 89 days to go today.

  33. Kik out china from Africa.The government of china is a friend of Dictators like Melese Zenawi,Muhammond Gahadafi,Hosni Mubarek,Be  Ali and so on.The government of China a friend of thieves.Kik them out from Africa.Africa better off with out China.

  34. The problem is all pity fools concentrated on reading their party magazine from fuledi and were completely out of touch with reality guys u r now running a country and not a bus stop let’s c what the 90 days will bring we r pankoloko and watching u. Mind u am not sure the zambian sch curricula covered economics in standard 4 may be the two online degrees will help us,

  35. Lots of heated views here. If we could, for a moment, step back and look at the bigger picture here. Zambia needs to develop, whether Sata, Banda, or HH, opposition or ruling, we are all in the same boat (pardon the pun).

    We all need to channel our thought and energies towards the good of Zambia. If we can find a better buyer for our exports, then by all means let us do so. If China happens to be that buyer, then by all means! In the meantime, we need to look at building our industries, let us make and use our own copper wires, let make and use our own sim cards, let us weave, sew our own clothes.

    No one is obligated to look out for Zambia (UN, US, UK, etc) except Zambians ourselves.

    Let us get busy – developing Zambia is not the sole responsibility of our politicians.

  36. It also seems to me that our laws are either too old, too vague or too weak. First we need to have a democratic way of changing our laws as and when needed. If GRZ does not have proper labour laws, we will continue to have our citizens over-worked and underpaid. If GRZ has no will power to enforce laws, then you will have people shooting people and getting away with it.
    We, as Zambians, have a lot of work on our hands and each of us has responsibilities and roles to play. If you are in school, your job is to learn. If you are working, your job is to be productive. If you are married, your job is to uplift your family. If you are unemployed, your job to find a legal way to make money. If you have money, your job is to invest. If you are a politician, your job if follow the people’s will.

  37. # 39 what about ZANACO in England. Do you smell a rat also.What you should not mix business and politics. you will be confusing yourself. Do not think with your mouth, use your brain. Tell those Zambian millionares to pool thier money and buy a mine to sell copper to China, may they will also open another Zanaco in China. You have those guys who think they are rich, like HH, GBM, BY, CAPTAIN CHEWE, KAVINDELE and many others like CR transporters.

    • if ZANACO in England exist am sure it does not deal in KWACHA the way Bank of China is dealing with their currency in a foreign country. Do your research.

  38. #45 MMD Chief Bootlicker I am impressed u still have Internet ON. They must have paid u a lot. No we will not come after u. we love you and u never harmed anyone. William attacked people physically so that is different. We know u will all disappear because no one is paying u anymore. And the MMD has no means of generation money because they just depended on our taxes and Chinese money so they are very much broke especially that RB was surrounded by bad pipo who assured him of victory so he spend all the money creating dust in our compounds with his “development”. And he made to many billboards it is a pitty we cannot export scrap metal

    • Its a shame that mmd has simply been replaced by pf otherwise the rhetoric is the same! if this is the change pipo were crying for, whereby the same things they were condemning mmd for are now ok bcoz they are being done by pf, Im glad I didnt get swayed by the “we want change” mantra. looks like the only change will get is deleting the letters mmd and replacing them with pf! 

  39. News alert.. PF venders(cadres) harassing MMD venders (cadres), just caused a riot around Kamwala Market area. Do these fools ever learn?

  40. #49 ,50 Maikalage, Well said! We’re all in this together and we have a long way to go. That is why it is not even realistic to expect or demand wonders within 90 days because the new leadership needs to be given enough time to demonstrate their true ability to perform. To put it in metaphorical terms, PF has won the cycling race in the valley, they have now reached the mountain stage. At this stage, speed is not the most important factor, what matters most here is the will power and determination to reach the mountain peak.

    When it comes to management of industries and trade links, I personally hope that the new GRZ strives to diversify it’s partnership base. Zambian traders (farmers in particular) would benefit a lot if their products had direct access to the European market.

  41. Zambia will only prosper sustainably once we start challenging our Engineers to design and build things like stadia, power stations, roads etc. We only need foreign exparts for technology transfer in certain cases or as consultants. If the romans could build the aqueducts in 312 BC and the colosseum in 70 AD to 80 AD, i am very confident we can build the ndola stadium since we have Professors, Doctors, Engineers and Technicians in all fields armed with modern technology. Unless there is something wrong with my race. We can also add value to our copper by first of all digging it ourselves.

  42. Business should be a “give and take” affair. Not just a “take as much as you can” and leave the other party broke. So if the Chinese are really serious about their business partnership with Zambia, the relationship has to be built on mutual respect and benefit. This is they only way the Chinese are going to enjoy a peace of mind about their investments in Zambia and elsewhere in Africa for a long time to come. Unless they plan on simply getting what they want short term and disappear. It not then they better seriously reconsider how they do business in Africa, and Zambia in particular. Otherwise their investments will always face uncertainties and danger if they are based or dependent on bribes given to a few officials in the govt of the day.

  43. Continue from #57:Zambia needs foreign investments, that from China included, but what Zambians can not accept is “day-light highway robbery” sort of investments. I am sure even China can not accept or tolerate such an arrangement in their great nation. As Christians believe that taken advantage of other people simply because they are poor is a sin. I realize you communists Chinese no lovers or religion, but surely FAIRNESS is an accept universal concept even among atheists. So come on, do not despair, all Sata and Zambians want is equal partnership and respect with everybody. TIME TO DO BUNESS NOW, CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  44. PF government should have keen interest in the developments at Zambia Sugar. This company is no different from the Chinese. President Sata has always expressed his concerns over what is happening at this company. He needs to be reminded as he settles down.

  45. PF ni zii!! We have come to turn the stones round. The past is gone but lets wait and advise our newly elected president’s on national issues.
    Ala kwati bufii.

  46. #26 great stuff my dear . we should stop selling raw material . we should get them finished goods in that we create jobs and get richer 

  47. As I mentioned earlier, Zambia’s success is the responsibility of ALL OF US! Looking at the flags from the posts above, most of us are NOT even in Zed. I’m here for a month and will be home before independence. The question is, how will my trip abroad add value to myself, and in turn add value to Zambia. What am I doing to make Zambia a better place.

    Zambia’s development rests on our shoulders. We always have someone to blame: slave trade, colonialism, corruption, politics, but we never stop to think that WE might be the problem, that WE might be the solution.

    How many Zambians are running companies in RSA, USA, UK, Kenya, Botswana? A LOT! We need to to return home and be that change that will see Zambia develop. It is OUR mess, WE need to clean it up. :-w

  48. Thank you VLAD PUTIN (#66). Perhaps GRZ will look at dual citizenship, among other things. We have inherited our laws from Britain without really thinking about it. We need to stop and re-think everything re-work everything so that it works to OUR advantage.

    Zambia will develop — are citizens ready for development?  

  49. One can not blame the Chinese but the poor negotiating skills of MMD. For example, Mwanawasa being a skillful lawyer negotiated for w/fall tax and RB blew it off in a second. It is now a challenge to reintroduce it as alot of bargaining needs to take place. All investors are business people & are out to make maximum profit if a country does not have policies in place to benefit from their profits or businesses you are in trouble. U need to tie corporate governance and fair tax system with investors.Look at Botswana, the govt have set policies with investors in favor of the investor and the people of Botswana. Another example are trucks moving from Congo to South Africa which spoil the roads…MMD could not even introduce toll gates to charge them 4 the use of the road.

  50. What is this obsession with copper and the Chinese. The PF cadres are going to invest in our mines. Just like they did before the Chinese came to know where Zambia was.

  51. #68 Zambia appreciates the Chinese govt investments. They have helped the Zambian economy by pumping money into it. The problem was mainly the MMD govt policies. Simple things like making Zambia even own 30% share of a sale of a company was mambo jumbo to MMD.

  52. #22. It’s you who should get your facts straight. What’s making China great is it’s ability right now to bring in the natural resources from the 3rd world that it lacks and flood the world with cheap goods to under-cut the West. For the longest time, Japan was the world’s largest producer of steel. To produce steel you need iron and coal and Japan had none. Go figure. How did they end up being the world’s #1 producer if steel? Imported natural resources. Cut the natural resources from China and it’s economy will begin to go belly-up. It’s not like China is blessed with natural resources the way the U.S. is. BTW China is still a third world country. Minimum wage in the U.S: $7:25/hr. Minimum wage in China; $0.35/hr.

  53. Lets all wait and see what PF is going to do about Chinese investment. If they can bring any other investors that are better than the Chinese, then they are the right guys we need. But, if they are waiting for American investors, then, they are are time wasters , because Americans have issues to sort out in their back yard. If Zambians themselves can invest in strategic companies, then Zambia will be prospourus. However, ther is no Zambian millionare worth his salt. All of them are a joke, the reason we will still depend on the Chinese for the next 50 years.

  54. HA, funny the way some bloggers are going on about Zambia not needing China, read into the world economy today, China is were the money is at the moment, Europe has major problems and other countries are finding it hard to balance their books, no one there will buy our copper on the scale that China is today. What Sata needs to do is implement policies that will benefit the Zambian people, improve labour conditions and pay but also retain ( the Chinese) and attract other foreign investors, this has been done in other countries were Chinese firms are operating from. While we are on the issue of investing hope Sata and his group have strategies on how to diversify our economy, copper wont last forever. GOD BLESS OUR BELOVED COUNTRY ZAMBIA.

  55. You do not need to have dou citizenship to invest in Zambia. If you have the money you can go invest in any business you like. If you are a Zambian or former Zambian, it is even more simple because you know the terrain.

  56. Many folks wrongly believe that with PF in power their work is done and miracles will happen in 90 days.No,its up to you now to keep the PF govt on its toes no matter how much you love PF.It is up to you to work harder to help develop your field of trade in zed & make it a success to add up to the success of the govt.The US did not succeed due to govt but due to individuals succeeding in developing their industries which pay taxes.Sata with all GRZ at his disposal is just an individual and the best he can do is to give you an enabling environment and the rest is up to you.It is people,not the govt,that create jobs.

  57. We definitely need Chinese investment but we don’t need them to shoot us and use us like slaves in their industries. Sata deal with them.

  58. Only a fool will dismiss the Chinese prowess in world economy. If we did not need the investors as some would like to believe # 77 why were we getting coupons for mealie meal as professionals with a string of degres behind us during the late 1980s? the copper has always been there in Zambia. We did not have the Money, Technology and Political will to turn our resources into tangible contributors to our livelihoods.infact Luapula which is one of the poorest provinces in zambia has both Manganese and precious stones. The capital required to extract these minerals is beyond most African Goverments. Hence one has to burry their pride & berg the Indians (KCM) and Chinese (Lumwana) to finance the projects but of course inforce Zambian labour laws…

  59. I feel for Zambia – its one incompetant leader to another, the curse of african countries is that they do not have visionaries or highly educated individuals like the first world and hence will always be in the dark ages for another 2-300 years to come. They dont seem to recognise the value of foreing investment and the value of existing non black business community to drive growth, industry and employment. This is 2011 now and these countries have backward year after year. Just look at Zimbabawe a country called the bread basket of africa now a complete basket case. Every non black born in zambia that has left is very sucessful where ever they are out of zambia. Even the current president of Uganda has on several occasions begged the asian business who were expelled by Amin to return and

  60. zambia needs china who else are we going to sell our copper to the eu , america haha where there struggling with internal problems …china is the 2nd biggest economy in the world being on good terms with them helps …all that needs to happens is that we should have better negotiations with the chinese and a more equal relationship 

  61. I was in zed in the 1st quarter of this year. I visited one of the Indian shops in Lusaka, opposite city centre market along ChaChaCha road and found cookers and refrigerators made in Zimbabwe. I was in awe that Zimbabwe could do that despite their turmoil. Am not oblivious to the fact that Zimbabwe has a better industrial base than us, but, for crying out loud, this is an indication that despite their chaos, they got it right and can easily catapult up the ladder to their rightful place once they stabilized.  It`s ludicrous that in Zambia, We could import trivial products such as HB pencils from countries like Tanzania.What we need in Zed is a leadership with 

  62. Objectivity, Vision, will, Zeal and one capable of inculcating in our work fabric a culture of integrity and hard work (pays).  In today`s global economy and competitiveness, the least we can afford is either backpedaling or stagnation.  What we need is savvy young men and women well equipped with high tech skills in manufacturing, technology etc, and offering them good incentives and a congenial work environment to keep them grounded back home.  The upside to our land-lockedness, 

  63. being surrounded by 8 countries is that we have a gaping market where we can sell our locally manufactured high and low end (Made in Zambia) products. There is no excuse as this is not insurmountable. The fact is we are capable of making our case and woo direct Capital investment. We can get it right people and t

  64. One love one zambia. This is the time to work no more time wasting insulting each other, that is past. Dont expect that money will follow you in your pocket forget . Do work ,bussiness etc and above all work extra hard yourself. Some of you chaps will still remain poor no matter how many policies will be improved by PF GRZ. Check your selves dont expect spoon feeding -long gone. We are back to self action.

  65. # 42 – i think you’re delusional alot of people know that the chinese rule the world whether we like it or not. why do you think we are experiencing an economic meltdown here in europe and in the us? the whites are really taking it hard especially the brits, they still want to rule most of the countries and the yanks(americans) are keeping an eye on china’s interest in africa and south america but cant do anything ’bout it. noone can survive without it and thats a fact. its only a matterof time before the dollar amounts to nothing. theres already been two quatitative easing processes in the us! how long can the fed keep pumping money to sustain the debt? zambia really needs investors to develop and create jobs without that , we’ll be as poor as zimbabwe.

  66. There is a comment here about ZNBC having good content these days. Actually it is the same ZNBC which is doing its work, i.e supporting government programmes. The only thing that has changed now is that it is not Rupia in State House, it is Sata. We are counting days and we will be asking pertinent questions after 90 days. If the man will not perform, UPND and MMD will proceed and impeach Sata.

  67. What?s Taking place i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered It absolutely helpful and it has aided me out loads. I’m hoping to give a contribution & assist other customers like its helped me. Great job.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading