Chief Munkanta of the Chishinga people of Kawambwa district has directed Luapula province Minister, Brigadier General Benson Kapaya to remind President Edgar Lungu to intervene in the affairs of the Kawambwa Tea Company (KTC) workers problems.
Chief Munkanta says KTC workers are still facing many problems citing non-payment of salaries and wages for some time now.
Chief Munkanta was speaking in Kawambwa yesterday when the Finish Ambassador to Zambia, Timo Olkkonen, ZNFU President, Evelyn Nguleka and Luapula Minister General Kapaya paid a courtesy call at his palace .
Others on the entourage are Luapula Permanent Secretary, Boniface Chimbwali and some government officers.
He complained that the KTC workers have been facing many problems for a long time now hence the appeal to the President to quickly intervene.
He however, noted that last year, President Lungu during a public meeting ahead of the 20th January, 2015 Presidential election pledged to address the issue of the Kawambwa Tea Company if elected into office.
The Traditional Leader says there is need to repossess the Kawambwa tea Company if the problems are to be addressed adding that President Lungu should do something.
However, Luapula province Minister, Benson Kapaya has promised to deliver Chief Munkanta’s concerns about the KTC problems to President Lungu.
Ambassador Timo Olkkonen, ZNFU President, Dr Evelyn Nguleka and the provincial entourage are in Kawambwa to tour some selected agricultural projects.
Does this industrial matter need the President’s direct intervention, sure? Presidential promises should be translated into policies/action items whenhe forms government, not to wait until the president coughs. What if he forgets? What is he had collapsed for good – kufentelela? Should this matter really wait for the President to repossess the Plant and resell it, and pay the retirees? Comon, Chimbwali; you were cheating the Chief!
@Chief Munkanta also! Its like you are flogging a dead horse! What do you expect to come out of a non performing, former loss making parastatal? You need to go to the greater paveyors of ‘English’ tea and partner with them to run it on your behalf! What Mauritius did is go to the big companies and ask them to come and build huge factories to produce electronic parts for Chinese and Taiwanese companies. Mauritian Goverment provided buildings and labour for free for 5 years and introduced a progressive low tax there after! That attracted hundreds of companies pouring huge investments into the country! Results are there for all to see: its is now the fastest growing country in the world! These things take years to mature- not the way we are doing it. For me a government of national unity…
Mauritius will then have checking mechanism that these companies will not go away after the incentive tenure to come back for more incentives as different companies. Zambia is a joke that keeps making the world laugh. The question is does this joke of a country need to co-exist with other civilised countries?
It saddens me to see this chief beg from successive govts for help to run this company but unfortunately our leaders are visionless they dont know that our tea could be marketed as a niche product…sell me the company for £1 and I can guarantee a profit in 2years …I will bring my own team.
Were is chikopo miles samba? Who seems only to work when Lungu farts.
The other day findlay gave Lungu whisky and reminded him of his potato factory, that’s when you heard all those noises from samba and Co about stopping chips imports from SA. Otherwise they have no inicetive
Whoever posted this did it out of selfish desires. stop using this chief for your selfish desires.