Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Presdent Dr Nevers Sekwila Mumba says he is shocked at how President Edgar Lungu is mixing up his priorities by rushing to politic in Lubansenshi Constituency where there is a by-election coming up instead of visiting Baluba Mine in Luanshya where 1,645 miners have just been laid off.
On a tour of Baluba mine on Friday 11th September 2015 to assess facts on the ground for himself before proceeding to Lubansenshi in Luwingu District in Luapula Province, Dr. Mumba was met by anxious National Union of Mine and Allied Workers (NUMAW) officials led by their Vice President Mr Adam Zulu, who narrated the desperate situation facing them. They explained that only 45 workers have been retained and that the Minister of Labour, Honorable Minister Fackson Shamenda’s visit the previous day yielded no tangible results as all he did was issue threats to the mine owners and to tell the union to fight for the workers without making any commitment to the workers.
“It is shocking that in the midst of a serious crisis here at Baluba mine, where 1,645 miners have been laid off indefinitely due to placement of the mine on care and maintenance, the most urgent item on President Lungu’s mind is to rush for politicking in the Lubansenshi by-election. He could have at least passed through Luanshya like I have done and had dialogue with the mine owners and assess for himself what is going on and deal with the misery and uncertainty facing these miners,” Dr. Mumba said.
“The PF government has never brought any new investor to the mining sector since coming to power and has miserably failed to look after what the MMD handed over to them in 2011 but instead has destroyed everything. President Lungu is ruling this country by remote control because it is clear that he prefers to fly to foreign countries instead of finding a solution for this crisis. He needs to come here and give hope to these miners and their families. He is now day-dreaming that as far as the Government is concerned, the mine has not laid off any workers and that no one will be allowed to lay off any miners on account of lack of electricity. He needs to come and verify these stories for himself instead of relying on false stories from his ministers. We demand that he immediately comes back from Lubansenshi and hold an emergency press conference to give confidence and direction to the nation.
“The President is instead wasting time and scarce resources ferrying innocent traditional rulers to State House just to get a false sense of security from them that things are okay instead of solving national problems. Our chiefs cannot protect Mr. Lungu, it’s the people who voted for him that he needs to attend to. All of us political leaders are going to Lubansenshi except Mr Lungu. Surely this matter needs urgent attention” said Dr. Mumba.
Baluba Copper mine is owned by China Nonferrous Metal Mining Corporation Luanshya Copper Mines (CLM) which was rescued by the MMD Government’s successful search of new investors after the mine closed due to underground flooding. The mine is now facing an imminent closure arising from the withdrawal of 30% of power by the Copperbelt Energy Company (CEC) due to the on-going nation-wide power shortage which has negatively impacted mining operations on the Copperbelt and North-Western province.
Dr. Mumba later stopped at Mpatamatu market where he was thronged by a spontaneous, enthusiastic crowd of marketeers who took turns in narrating their sufferings to him. Dr Mumba featured on Sun FM Radio in Ndola.
Harsh realities of a global economic downturn is less workers being needed. In a democratic / free market society (which Zambia proclaims it is), the government has no power to force a company to retain workers. The best that the government could do is to provide some sort of economic bailout or reduction in taxation to entice the company to continue its work even if profitability ratios are low. I hope there is an amiable solution as I hate to see the people of Luanshya area suffer.
Now here is some who understands the principles of economics
Edgar Chibuku Lungu is too dull and exceedingly stupit to understand the fact that Zambians are suffering. He is the worst president to have rulled Zambia since 1964.
The gallant people of Luanshya have suffered enough.
It started with Binani’s Ramcoz, then
Enya’s LCM, now
CNMC’s CLM
Who will help them. Their MP, Hon Kambwili is compromised by the owners. His company is a registered, and preferred, supplier to the mine!
That is right, some one should tell kambwilli that as a supplier to the mines he should have engaged local manufactures as a way of helping instead of running to SA.
But again that is asking too much from these selfish dull corrupt ministers. Usless.
have you heard the news. Kudos is back. Only if LT stops blocking us from contributing to national development
There is nothing the president can do with his broke GRZ. It looks like at least they know this is a long term problem otherwise they would be throwing eurobond money at it. Ediga, there is an advisory body affiliated with the commonwealth whose job it is to advice 3rd world countries on contracts they enter with multinationals regarding resources. It looks like the mines can layoff as they feel with out carrying out consultations. You can’t rely on your usless ministers who are all corrupt and look for commissions to over look contracts. The new GRZ will have bite the bullet and revisit all contracts and treaties. Looks like kaponyas were overlooking the singhings. Like the free trade agreements, they forgot Zambia has no factories only shopping malls from which countries poure their…
Honestly ba Pastor Mumba. Every President has line Ministers he has appointed to represent him, in a democratic dispersion such as ours the President requires to allow his Ministers exhaustively exercise themselves and react to their feedback. In the article it’s reported line Minister Shamenda visited the area on a fact finding which now the President and his cabinet should react to.
The suggestion by the Pastor by implication is off the mark.
This is the way a cookie crumbles….!!
From a James Hadley Chase novel I read surreptitiously during prep in 1978. And so are our times under this disastrous PF failed project. I have lived and flourished under wamuyaya mushumfwa kk, kapufi wabufi FTJ, State Counsel LPM, ndinewana anyokp RB, King Cobra MCS. The worst I have experienced is Chagwa Jamison tenure.
I speak what I have seen!
Ba Mumba, it is you with mixing priority ,no wonder your candidate failed in solwezi to file the nomination. I donot know if MMD is there in Lubasenshi. Support your MPs they will leave alone.
Ba Sekwila shut up. Your party has been added to the ‘stock pile’ of UNIP where PF will also be added soon as the past and history of Zambia. You are not relevant to the political dispensation of Zambia. Leave the opposition to Nawakwi, HH and Kabimba Rainbow
Nevers is beginning to talk sense now. Very true what he is saying.
Are there people who still support PF in Zambia?