THE Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has thrown its weight behind President Michael Sata over plans to reintroduce the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) as a platform for economic growth.
President Sata last week proposed the reintroduction of the IDC with the view to making it a tool for the modernization and diversification of the economy to create jobs, wealth and prosperity for Zambians.
MUZ general secretary Joseph Chewe said the positive to the IDC, if properly implemented, would far outweigh the negative in terms of its impact on the country’s economy.
He said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that there was need for people to carry out an in-depth analysis of what impact the IDC when reintroduced, would have on the economy in the area of employment creation.
“We feel we should not rush at criticizing the proposed Industrial Development Corporation before looking at the intended purpose and benefits.
“In order for people to clearly appreciate the benefits, we feel there is need to compare the employment levels previously when the concept existed and now when we have the private sector leading the show,” he said.
Mr Chewe said from that, people would be able to conclude that the private sector had not been up to the challenge of providing sustainable and quality jobs.
He said this was clearly demonstrated by the number of people leaving employment in the private sector to join government.
“It is in this view that we are encouraging the opposition not to rush in criticizing the IDC concept before looking at a bigger picture and for us as MUZ, if the IDC is the perfect vehicle for fostering sustainable development through job creation, then we feel obliged to rally behind President Sata,” he said.
Mr Chewe said having been in the labour circles for some time, he had seen how the private sector had allegedly failed to improve the welfare of employees.
He cited companies such as Kawambwa and Maamba Collieries, which soon after being taken over by private investors saw employees subjected to misery.
“With the IDC on board, financial fortunes for such companies can easily be turned around without the institution being sold to a private investor,” he said.
Mr Chewe, however, said the success for the IDC would largely depend on mechanisms Government would put in place to prevent past mistakes where funds for intended projects ended up being diverted
There is no way in the world indeco would contain all the unemployed
and if it did, it’s bound not to last, Government’s bad policies discouraged
employment like rushing to raise Salaries, firing people when unemployment
is high, right now there is shortage of staff in the hospitals, this proud Government
won’t even call those people back, even if indeco is created the confusion in PF, will
spill to those companies before you know cadres will be coming to attack you with pangas.
MUZ should be honest enough that indeco is a non starter more especially if the headquarters will be at plot 1. Just bring back ZNS and have proper marketing strategies for the products.
IDC can mean two different things, depending on perception. It is like half empty or half full. This is double edged sword. Hence, the need to seek clarity on modus operandi in fine detail, with transparency. The indaba could help but technical issues also need to be recognized. IDC must be surgical, targeted, selective in areas of intervention. Monopolies and unnecessary intrusions could only serve to defeat the good intentions.
“MUZ general secretary Joseph Chewe said the positive to the IDC, IF PROPERLY implemented, would far outweigh the negative in terms of its impact on the country’s economy.” MUZ STOP dreaming, which policy or programme has PF managed to implement properly since they came t power? FISP, Constitution, fiscal/budget, monetary/exchange rate? As for Kawambwa tea and Maamba, the misery simply means the business models were failures but only survived due to govt subsidies? Why has’nt CEC, Zambia Sugar, or Shoprite failed under private hands?
We are going back to UNIP times where quangos were formed to symphone and and plunder the nation’s resources.
You do not need INDECO to have economic growth. What we need is the a focused leadership with tangible and feasible policies not these policies of politicking. Mr Sata was in UNIP when these “quangos” were first introduced, so it does not surprise me that these things are coming back. We did not see Mr Sata oppose the abolition of INDECO when mmd came to power. So what has now changed?
if IDC will be well managed and able to provide employments to young people….I 100% support it.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
zambians can we ask ourselves who is getting the contacts with zesco , znbs, etc, and who is being employed with these quaz govt institutions? the answer is simple PF cadres so what is going to change with this so called indeco. please stop the rubbish idea now”
This subject matter seems to be a very complex issue.The majority of people have expressed concerns regarding bringing INDECO into being.Its fair that people be given the right to question because of the historic aspect,it would also appear right to give Government time and a forum to fully engage the public in order for them to explain the strategies behind this major announcement.However,if the motive behind this move is of a noble nature,then we should rally behind government which i personally hope it should be.If the opposite is the case,then it would be wise for all well meaning citizens of this great nation not to support it.Hence,let government show us the modus operandi
“Kawambwa Tea and Maamba Collieries” were all loss making under INDECO. Now they are profitable since they got privatized, and the government is collecting tax revenue from the two companies. Before privatization, the government was borrowing money in order to subsidize Kawambwa Tea and Maamba Collieries. Now after privatization, the government is being paid by Kawambwa Tea and Maamba Collieries. This is not rocket science.
You are right though the Tea company is not yet profitable as it had just recently changed hands.
So far, those opposed to reintroduction of IDC have not proffered any alternative. Its just oppose oppose oppose. Empty tins always makes noise.
@Albert Chinyama: PF’s job creation solution lay in the already financially strenuous if not untenable road, stadia and university projects coupled with basic skills/artisan training in thing like bricklaying, carpentry and plumbing so that local labour is used rather than Chinese artisans. In countries like Botswana an expatriate can now only work for 3 years whilst training locals to take over in Zambia some expats have clocked 50 years. Certain businesses should be restricted to Zambians only e.g operating minibuses, sole trading, selling in markets etc. You cannot set up certain big businesses in Bots and RSA without local partnership eg up to 75% in local aviation in RSA & 60% for banking in Nigeria. This is how African success stories are delivering prosperity to their populations.