Chief Government Spokesperson, Kennedy Sakeni, has said that the law must take its course on anyone who will be found guilty of causing the riots that resulted in the death of the Chinese national at Collum Coal Mine in Sinazongwe yesterday.
Mr Sakeni, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister said that the issue of minimum wages allows employers and employees a platform and time to dialogue amicably without violence.
He said that there is no need for the miners to go to such extremes as to shed blood on a fellow worker over an issue which is clear and open for dialogue.
Mr Sakeni has urged the Ministry of Labour and law agencies to deal with the case decisively and leave no stone unturned until all those found wanting are brought to book.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) has condemned the killing of a Chinese miner at the embattled Collum Coal Mine in Sinazongwe.
NUMAW president Mundia Sikufele said that despite his organisation not having membership at the mine, the killing was barbaric and sends a wrong picture about Zambia to the outside world.
ZANIS reports that Mr Sikufele said that the incident shows the need for people to always embrace dialogue whenever they are grieved.
He explained that people should always aim at exhausting the good communication channels rather than engaging in violent activities that could lead to lose of lives.
Mr Sikufele has noted that what the miners did yesterday is disturbing to the labour Movement; hence stringent measures should be taken to ensure that such an incident does not repeat itself in future.
Yesterday a Chinese miner, Wu Shengzai aged, 50, was killed while another is battling for his life after other miners, particularly Zambians, rioted to protest against delays by management to effect the newly revised minimum wage payment.
The deceased died on the spot after being hit by a trolley that was pushed towards him by the rioting miners as he ran away into the underground tunnel where he wanted to seek refuge.
And Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda immediately called for thorough investigations into the killing of a Chinese national. Mr Shamenda has regretted that the riots had led to loss of life and described it as unfortunate and regrettable.
Mr Shamenda has wondered why the embattled Collumn Coal Mine continues to be a spot of tension between Zambian workers and Chinese investors. Mr Shamenda has since urged the workers to avoid taking the law into their own hands.
He said that the sad development at the mine should serve as a lesson for all workers and employers to follow the normal channel of communication. Mr. Shamenda who has since traveled to the Mine was speaking in an interview with TV2 News prior to his departure from Lusaka.
Mr Shamenda also said that Government was working out measures to ensure that the hike in the minimum wage does not become a source of industrial protests. Mr Shamenda said that protests and work stoppages negatively affect governments revenue collection.
It is important to apply the law as we are governed by laws and not men. however, had it been the other way round, where a chinese kills a zambian worker I do not think we could have moved so qiuckly to hint on rounding anyone up.
Not to undermine the serverity of the death of a foreigner but I think we are Governed by Sata and not the Law. He bye passes the Law whenever it suits him.
The law must take its course on any one who incited the people to demand for unrealistic “minimum wage”. And these are Sata(n), Shamenda-Kamandevu and Sakeni-dull chap
kekekekekekekekekekekekekek e wandepula
I thought the causer is the originator of the minimum wage announcement and this is no other than Shamenda. Arrest him as well. He is the one that incited workers.
The ZFE had tried in vain to dialogue with you guys, to the point where Shamenda went to ‘commanded’ police to arrest a citizen expressing his views. Now, look how you are turning our people into – salvages that we have never seen in the history of this peace loving country!!
The riots were started by Shamenda who announced an unrealistic minimum wage.
I hope Sakeni sorts him out….please dont deal with scapegoats.
THOSE KILLERS ONCE FOUND MUST BE TAUGHT A LESSON FOR EVERYONE TO SEE THAT THEY CANNOT TAKE THE LAW INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. THESE MINERS ARE BARBARIC AND SHOULD BE TAUGHT A LESSON AS SUCH.
NOOO SATA MOST TEACH ALESSON FIRST,FOOLISH PRESIDENT.
You mean the Chinese that shot Zambians , whom we have heard nothing since govt made it hush!!
Agony is: to praise the Chinese only to learn that one of them is killed due to your previous promises…
YES THE LAW MUST TAKE ITS COURSE BUT THE SAME SHOULD BE APPLIED WHEN THE CHINESE SHOOTS DOWN ZAMBIANS.THE GOVT MUST NOT KEEP QUIET JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE INVESTERS, THE LAW MUST BE APPLIED IN THE SIMILAR WAY AS HOW MR SAKENI WANTS .
I wish Shame-nda had listened. He should take full responsibility for this one.
Then start with Shabby Shamenda!
How can one dialogue and with who? The rule was with immediate effect. The government further promised to arrest all dissenting views and gave an example of ZFE boss.
Well, these unfulfilled PF promises are a ticking time bomb that is exploding now. Sata and his PF are in for a rude awakening that lies do not pay.
The goverment has started this by announcing an absurd raisein the minimum wages. the minister has no knowledge of economics and how the markets  work. PF is playing politics of appeasement and they will soon close down many companies and bring total unemployment in the country.Â
Africa twasebana, we are now killers too.
Shamenda must resign cos he’s the cause of all this.He should have dialogued with ZTE and other stakeholders to come up with something achievable in a right manner.He has caused unnecessary problems knowinh that these increments concerned people who have no idea of ecomics.
Remember the Zambian miners who were shot at by the Chinese. Was the law applied and if it was, what was the outcome. Ukwa CNP will certainly bring confusion in this country. He is just quite. HE IS NOT RULING! What was his stand on these Chinese before he became president? I think these miners are being incited by CNP Ukwa’s words.
WetC: Â I was also just thinking that story when the Chinese were acquitted or something. Â The killing makes for very sad reading but we will wait and see how ‘fair’ Â the law will be concerning the poor Zambians compared to the investor/rich Chinese.
it’s not only chinese,it’s all the investor (even zambian) complain about the new wages.china buliding many thing for zambia free. help zambia same help zambians. no country – no home.but many people not understand and still hate chinese,that wrong. hate bad people is ok .is that all the chinese is bad people? is that all the zambian is good people? we are all human.have love in heart.
Ukwa, CNP should be told that he is not a King but a republican President. No need to hibernate.
NOR “TAKE COVER!”
A gun does not kill. It is the mind behind it that kills.
I have never been angered by anything more than the government’s failure to punish the Chinese that shot Zambian workers. They got away go Scott-free! Causing the death of Chinese national is not right either. However, if this man was Zambian, no one in the government would be worked up about it period! And why? Because he has white skin! This man may have died in the chaos of riots and therefore, there is probably no intent to kill. The Chinese who pointed their guns at Zambian workers and opened fire had every intent to kill. This behavior on the part of the Chinese, which includes the other mine incident where 50 Zambian workers died and not one Chinese national died, are a plain show of the chinese’s lack regard for lives of the Zambian workers and is likely to be met in kind.
You have articulated this very well. I share your sentiments but failed to articulate that in an earlier attempt.Â
Zambia people every year to rob the Chinese casualties of not less than three incidents,Why don’t you go to rob people from other countries?
So absolutely true and please say that again.
The same chinese caused the riot, if they paid them the minimum wage, they wouldn’t have an riot.
No one killed this man. He got run over by a trolley! It was a riot! You think if I wanted to kill you, I would put my car in neutral and push it and let of coast towards you?? However, the chinese that pointed guns at Zambians and opened fire had every intent to kill and the government let them go free just because they have white skin, period!
Spot on.we are o humans,after all at management level we shud ve a zambian.viva zambian miners.let this case end the same way the shooting ended.
MMD allowed this problem. They should have sorted out the Chinese who shot 11 workers at the same mine
Nonsense! Muppet!
BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU – Dogs do it literally sometimes; people do it figuratively.i remember when Shamenda announced an unrealistic minimum wage,most of you supported him.Not everyone in zambia have been to school to understand all this just like the 90 days bull-st.
While the govt is now quick at ensuring that the law is applied following the death in the minimum wage scrimmage, the same govt’s lack of timely intervention caused this wage dispute in various industries to rapidly deteriorate.
How do you ask workers and their employers to negotiate a non-negotiable wage increase issue that is already law?
Passing the buck to the workers and employers on this issue is failure to accept and take responsibility by the govt over what has happened.
VIVA minimum wage. UKWA simplify CNP nizii. Wina azalila.
This is very sad. ZFE wants to hear more of your comments.
The seeds of hatred agaiinst Chinese nationals were sown by the PF during their electioneering. THE PF PREACHED THE WORST FORM GOSPEL OF HOPHORBIA IN ZAMBIA. Maamba is now repeaing the fruits of human hatred. Whatever the Govt is saying now can only be interpreted as a phase of shading CROCODILE TEARS.
YOU INSTIGATED THIS – PF WILL HAVE LOTS OF BLOOD ON ITS HANDS
The advise we give GRZ through blogging and other means fall on deaf ears…
Example 1: Time and again people have complained of nepotism,tribalism,regionalism,favoritism in way appointments and development projects are implemented.The more they complain,the more such primitive activities are implemented!
This too is a very very very dangerous time bomb .
Shamenda and PF government are to blame for the killing of the Chinese.
SHAMENDA SHOULD TAKE THIS RESPONSIBILITY.ONE ZNBC TV HE USED HATE SPEECH AGAINEST CHIBANDA.CHIBANDA WENT FOR A FUNERAL HOME, SHAMENDA WITHOUT SHAME SEND HIM A POLICE CALL OUT.CAN YOU IMAGINE A MINISTER OF LOB OUR GOING TO POLICE OVER PAY? WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE POLICE WILL LAY DOWN THEIR GUNS, WHERE WILL HE REPORT?GOD HAS LAUGHED AT US. MANDEVU HAS BROUGHT US PROBLEMS.I PITY HAMIYANZE!
Ba some of us na blame game!! Some are saying “unrealistic minimum wage”; this plus that. Well, majority voters were on 250pin per month; and if those are the ones that put PF in government; they will retain the governance even in 2016 because majority rules. Call them names, insults and all, they are governing. Their policies will work for the poor voters first before ba some of us can see anything. You are free to insult me too; but thats whats on the ground. Its the street vendors, bakabomba, taxie drivers and ba kaboyi who voted to change government; not armchair critics like me.
This contradicts what was said by Shamenda. He did not leave room for dialogue or negotiation. There was even a threat that employers who did not comply would be arrested. How could anyone dialogue? Sakeni should consult Shamenda before making these statements.Â
But iliko bad
I don’t subscribe to the thought of killings…..What is strange is the society of selected justice government leaders are creating. It’s a bitter truth,but Soon and very soon the majority poor will arise to defend themselves and their cause in any way possible! …..When one chinese or two are killed, the Zambian/s suspected end up in jail or behind the bars……yet one Chinese who kills 11 (eleven) Zambians or more at the same mine, the Chinese appeals and is acquitted, getting away with murder!! (Which life is more important than the other. Life ought to be equal regardless!) . What kind of a world of hypocrites and double standards we live in …..With this selective justice ,would one blame the poor if they arose to defend their cause in a country that favours t
The Chinese are hated so much in the country, thanks to sata. He forgot that his hate speech of the foreigners (chinese and lebanise)while in oposition will one day bare fruit. This is it, now deal with it. Next will be tribal wars. Just wait.
This has nothing to do with President Sata. Why can’t sane people be reasonable?
I beg to disagree – this is the result of all the false expectations and 90-day promises raised by Mr. Sata, the result of lack of consultation in deciding on the new minimum wage by Mr. Sata, the result of poorly communicated policies by Mr. Sata, and the result of doing everything with immediate effect by Mr. Sata.
Mr. Shamenda merely works for Mr. Sata so where exactly does the buck stop?
Sakeni, get a spine!
Who the hell announced the minimum low wages?? You go about shouting that ama wages heee ama wages kuno eeeeh!!.. You see now bakamushi baku Mamba, the Tongas, they misunderstand and they kill. Who is worse between Shamenda/ Sata and Fr. something from Rwanda??
We have to value and respect ourselves the most because no one will do it for us.The fact that GRZ and Shamenda are worked up over this one man than the many zambian lives lost to chinaman is the worst message to send to zambians that they’re second class in their own homeland.On my part i’m more concerned and praying for the two zambians fighting for their lives after their chopper crashed yesterday in Kenya.Those are more valuable to us than ungrateful chinaman.
Hey, what about those Zambians who crashed na chopper? Not heard that sad news. Wish them God’s hand of healing upon them.
Zambians have been complaining daily at that Mine. All successive Govt., have NOT paid due attention to problems there. This issue was bound to happen. It was a matter of time.
So THIS MINISTER together with a Ministry with ONE CABINET MINISTER, & THREE DEPUTIES (A crowd, one may call it!!) between them CAN’T REALLY DIFFERENTIATE that a person calling for a strike or protest, call it whatever you like, may not necessarily be the person that committed this crime. MORE SO, IT IS THE GOVT THAT BY ITS OWN ACTIONS & WORDS INDICATED TO THESE WORKERS THAT THEY SHOULD RIGHTLY CLAIM THEIR DUES!!!! T
Talk about a gaggle of ministers & their deputies who seem not to know their raison d’tre!!!!
Killing of humans is bad in whichever the form it may take.all is
aimed at killing.Chinese are not white,they are yellow people.Let the law take its own course.Riots result into many…including death and injuries.
Riots don’t just come.Maily when people are oppressed and have no one to defend them,they end up rioting.Look at the Mid-east and in our own land (monk-square).They react.Look at Zambians being against a fellow Zambian on minimum wage.Shame-shame shame shame shame on us.Let there be love between the chinese and the Zambians.Let the gov open up a desk specifically handling chinese related issues and employ people who speak and understand chinese.No such kinda thing would ever happen again
.
@ 36 GUNDIX. Your thinking is the reason why we are in such a mess. I bet you are a stupid monkey that’s why you reason like Chief Ukwa CNP. Stupid fool.
the one who brought the minimum wage is the cause arrest the bagger
Employer’s lives are in danger following Shamenda’s unrealistic stance, he has empowered the workers to level of impunity. Little did we know that he’s pushing this because he has awarded himself a 100% payrise from the taxpayers meant for hospitals, schools, roads etc.
It pains me after being promised more money in the pocket- and then even after working for it still someone refuses to put this money to my aid.11 were short dead NO LAW took its cause because the eleven were just too poor to challenge the law-and now just 1 man we see a a fleet of vehicles going to sinazongwe. My legal understanding is that this is a company accident and not a mine accident or murder incident it falls under rioting hence could be considered more less as death caused in a stumpid.Of course the root cause has been the minimum wage so workers compensation should compensate the chines national through the government like the chines did to the chambeshi bilgrim accidents and the root cause sorted out pay the guys as per promise.Remember in every decision they must be casualty
Lack of dialogue starts from the top. Leaders mould the led. Fackson never dialogued, now he expects the poor chaps in Sinazongwe to understand dialogue better than him! This is not funny any more.
Sata’s government must learn to consult and understand the out comes instead of just day dreaming and put in force serious issues like this.This is the same mistake they made on street vending now the councils are having problems to remove them out of the streets and Sata remains quite.Shamenda must have his balls hug with a small rope with a brick pulling them down wards before people start protesting all over the country because many employers are still not complying to his directive.
You should understand why the Chinese used the air gun in the first place, they were defending themselves. Now that they didn’t find have any gun, they ended up being killed. Tongas are very emotional people and they don’t know how to express themselves, as a result they are violet people. Its very rare smart people, who know how to get what they want or talk themselves out of trouble or talk through to their goal, resort to violet means. In Rwanda, its the dull Hutu who committed genocide. This behaviour should not be tolerated in  our beloved Zambia. As a Bemba, if the Chinese is not meeting my minimum wage,I will steal from him to make up for short fall. God Bless Zambia
Yes the Law must take its course but you Sakeni and the whole lot of your fellow fools such as Shamenda, Kambwili and GBM must take this as a lesson. Do not incite people by hastely introducing new legislation without proper consultation. I can see more blood being shed because of your shallow announcements. Sakeni we all know that you are not educated but you can do better.
Zambians will not allow PF govt to further punish poor miners working for Chinese because of the unfortunate death of one Chinese. Causes to this are known to have been instigated by the armbiguous announcement of the minimum wage by Mr Shamenda. To prosecute miners is not solving any low wages zambians have been subjected to for a long time.
imwe, balifye bwino. kamofye ngamu Z bepeye.ifwe nifwebofye bakalaipaya. pembeleni naumbi alafwa.good miners. only those who hav not worked in mines would allow little salaries. as for VOLTRON, dont punish miners, instead encourage them to be more rough if their salaries are to go up.
They killed first.the chinese cabbages ve no regard 4 africans.if they arrest some of u,please kill more.they killed 11.
Now look at street vending before people kill each other. Be warned. Don’t appease anyone. DO THE RIGHT THING QUICK.
So a chinese life has more value than a Zambian one according to our government? Ok twaumfwa.
Sekani you are telling lies. You are calling on the law to take its course because you know the implications; you need Chines money therefore the law has now become important. You never thought of the law when deporting an innocent priest. We are being by people that are so selfish and its painful.
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if u have a gun but u are alone at somewhere,and this time have 50 people close to u and looks like want kill u,what can u do??waiting for die??
foreigner died in our country is bad .
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