The opposition MMD Youths have expressed concern at the continued wrangles at Zambezi Portland Cement.
MMD National Youth Secretary Bowman Lusambo says if left unresolved, the wrangles at the Zambezi Portland cement have the potential to spill over to the rest of the nation.
This is contained in a statement released to the media. Below is the full statement
STATE HOUSE SHOULD INTERVENE TO END WRANGLES AT ZAMBEZI PORTLAND
As MMD youths, the continued wrangles at Zambezi Portland Cement are a source of great concern. If left unresolved, the wrangles have the potential to spill over to the rest of the nation.
Close to 600 jobs will be at risk if the cement factory is forced to shut down. Over US$ 160 million of investment will go down the drain if Zambezi Portland Cement closes and its closure would have far reaching ramifications on the country’s investment profile.
World over, some Investors may find it difficult to invest in a country they think their investment may not be protected.
It is for this reason that we feel the time has come for the bitter share dispute between the Ventriglias and Dr Rajan Mahtani to be settled.
We appeal to His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to intervene in the matter as a matter of public interest.
President Lungu must force Dr Mahtani to relinquish his purported claim that he has a 58 per cent ownership through Finsbury Investment in the firm in order to restore sanity.
After the presidential intervention, it will be incumbent on the two parties to forthwith discontinue all legal processes currently underway.
We believe that only President Lungu will end the feud at Zambezi Portland Cement and help safeguard the economy of Ndola in particular and Zambia in general.
At this stage, President Lungu is best suited to intervene in the matter unlike people such as Bishop John Mambo.
We know Bishop Mambo was fraudulently installed as Board member of Zambezi Portland Cement by Dr Mahtani and has therefore vested interest in the matter.
We appeal to Bishop Mambo to return to the pulpit and save the lost souls because we know he does not belong to the Boardroom and he should therefore keep quiet.
The recent ranting by Bishop Mambo on the state of Zambezi Portland Cement are only meant to serve the interests of his pay master Dr Mahtani.
The Ventriglia family set up the investment during our watch as the MMD government and the factory was one of our key achievements on the Copperbelt as we believed it would offer the much needed competition to Lafarge Chilanga.
We are therefore interested to see to it that operations at Zambezi are restored and production continues without any confusion.
It is common knowledge that Mr Ventriglia and Ms Manuela Ventriglia are best suited to run the plant since they are the initiators of the project. We also know that the legal battles and deportations that the Ventriglia family has been subjected to have been at the instigation of enemies of Zambezi Portland Cement.
Our analysis tells us that Dr Mahtani has everything to lose if he continues fighting for something that he did not even own in the first place.
By allowing the Ventriglia family to continue running their plant, Dr Mahtani will to an extent restore his lost reputation.
Zambezi has potential to produce close to 360,000 tonnes of cement which go a long way in addressing the supply constraints for the commodity especially in this construction boom period we are experiencing.
OFFICE OF THE MMD NATIONAL YOUTH SECRETARY
Contact: Bowman Lusambo
National Youth Secretary
Even this Ugly Ar.se of a dunderhead with a big nose thinks he can be a judge to force Mattani to relinquish his shares! Those shares were not for free – so why should Mattani give the whole company to Italians?
After that which sane investor would invest in a country where an uneducated jobless Arse.whore with no Education whatsoever can lobby a dull a hapless African President to force a settlement in favour of a Mafiosi?
Who can pump sense into this drunkard Rupiah lapdog? He is too old to learn or to go to school!!
Even with the courts in place this fo..ol wants State House to get involved. Can’t you leave business and courts out of politics? What business is it for the president to get involved in private business issues? Lusambo is very dull indeed; even at 45 years he still regards himself a youth. Grow up man! It’s high time you did that.
Bowman, keep quiet for once. Commenting on anything and everything is not a sign of wisdom.
Mr Yapper, silence is golden sir.
Why should Lungu get involved. That’s why we have courts. Let the courts decide. LUNGU already deported the the Ventriglias once whose to say he will be objective this time around? Let the courts decide this issue as per the evidence that will be presented by both parties. LUNGU HAS ENOUGH ON HIS PALATE.
Finsbury investments? Is this not the vehicle chiluba et Al used to move looted funds?
Why should Lungu get involved when the matter is in court and the police have also taken it up?
First time to see all comments speaking one language. Yes how can the president get involved even in matters before courts of law.
Mr ECL is on record that he, being a lawyer, shall not “interfere in matters that are before the courts of law because he’s a custodian of the same laws.
You the same Lusambo shall turn round and start castigating the President for doing so when things are in your favour.
Instead advise your “president” on how to sort out the differences going on in your party, without damaging it further and eventually extincting it. Good luck, 2016 is just around the corner.
To people like Lusambo, there is no need to think further because this is too difficult. Everything begins and ends with the President.