Mr Lungu counselled the miners to avoid being cheated by some power-hungry opposition leaders discrediting Government over the challenges the mining sector is facing.
He said the challenges besetting the mining sector are a result of a drastic fall in copper prices on the international market.
He called on the labour movement in the mining sector to provide the required leadership of championing the interests of the workers and protect them from any form of abuse at their respective companies.
President Lungu was speaking during his familiarisation tour of Konkola Copper Mines’ (KCM) Konkola Deep Mining Project shaft number four.
“I am here to see how you are working and assure you that we will not abandon Zambian mineworkers because of the fall in copper prices. We will make hard decisions going forward, but we’ll not neglect miners. We need to benefit from our minerals. We’re still depending on copper for the growth of our economy.
“We don’t expect mine owners to fire people when prices of copper go down. Minerals should not only benefit foreigners but benefit Zambians as well,” President Lungu said.
He was accompanied by First Lady Esther and State House staff led by his special assistant for press and public relations, Amos Chanda.
The President called for sacrifice from mine owners and workers during these hard times in order to sustain jobs and operations of all the mines.
He said problems in the mining sector should not be politicised and that he would not allow mining firms to hold Government to ransom through retrogressive job cuts and closure of mines.
“We can’t change the price of copper, so mining companies will not be allowed to hold us to ransom by firing workers,” Mr Lungu said.
He said government would remain open to dialogue on matters that could make the sector viable.
Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Chishimba Kambwili, who was part of President Lungu’s entourage, urged KCM and all mining companies to respect Zambian workers and always avoid throwing them onto the streets whenever the sector encounters temporary setbacks.
“It is not good to throw workers on the street. Business of copper has ups and downs. It is unfair to lay off employees who have contributed to mining companies when the sector is faced with temporary setbacks,” Mr Kambwili said.
KCM chief executive officer Steven Din said his mining company is in Zambia to stay and that it has a 50-year long-term plan which guarantees job security to its workers.
He lauded President Lungu for his visit to KCM and promised to work closely with unions in the sector on matters that could help in making the sector viable.
Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Christopher Yaluma, Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge, Patriotic Front (PF) deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri and Chililabombwe member of Parliament Esther Banda were among those who accompanied the President on the tour.
So am not hearing the solutions here, the challenges currently how are they going to be addressed: 1. VAT Refunds owed to the mines, power shortage (the importation of power entails double the cost to the mines), Low copper prices, inconsistent TAX policies. Those are the issues that should be looked into. Doing a familiarization tour of KDMP and latter lunch at directors lodge is politicking.
Another empty statement by ka Edgar.
Quick question: How are you going to address the problem of job losses in the mines?
@ Suntwe wa Suntwe
Another round of prayers and fasting?
I don t understand these ministries. Mines and mineral development. Which minerals are they developing? The other one is Energy and Water development, developing water into what? Water and energy development makes better sense, I think.
This man is full of ifinkubala(worms) in his head. Fix the economy and things across the board will start working out.
How can Edgar fix economy imwe naimwe Ba Cat Power. What Edgar and PF knows is “promises” and “assuring”. He he goes again promising miners jobs
All Lungu is visiting these mine owners is for familiarisation tour only to ascertain challenges faced by the mines not to find solutions to challenges affecting mines
funny
Mind u, yu were in opposition also championing same calls the opposition is making now,but chance given to you and failed by yourselves this is the reason majority zambians need change of govt next year
Awe ifintu nafilungula ichachine mwa Lungu, how do u tell pipo 2 sacrifice when they have been sacrificing all their life and u az Jemason knowz a life of luxury and has never sacrificed anything at all? It doesn’t make sense 2 me, pa Zed awe mwandini kuwayawaya fye. Ninshi the common man who has been sacrificing ever since they were born bakomfwa bwino lisa? Ok ni zoona ichalo chaliba naba mwine, It simply beats me!!!!
Where is my comment naimwe ba Lusaka times, nimwebo ba PF?
The more this brainless Lungu opens his mouth the more we can see he is absolutely clueless about how to tackle the Nations problems!
Does he even know that we DO HAVE problems? Obviously not, otherwise he would not need a “familiarization tour” !!!!!
Ka Lungu, just go back to New York with your friends on your $300,000 chartered plane and party with your Jamesoni.
Coming here to the CB when it is too late will not help you win 2016. We know your rubbish by now.
I wonder what is going on on the minds of the opposition supporters. Do you want the president to give publicly all the details of what he has discussed in confidence with mine owners pertaining to jobs in the mines? Running govt is not like running an eternal opposition party. You are even saying “no wonder the majority will vote president Lungu out”. Which majority? Before 20th January, you were saying the same words. I guess its time you grew up and stop being bitter and envious of president Lungu. For me and my extended family, colleagues & friends its ifintu ni Lungu.
Iwe, don’t insult our intelligence. The opposition have got nothing to do with the mine problems your anger is directed at the wrong people. Lungu has lost grip of things and his desperation is showing, its a damn shame.
Great job our head of state.We know that we are winning the next 2016 elections.Keep it Edgar Lungu God is behind you
If such high leveled of misplaced priorities, wasteful costly ventures, unplanned for vision-less acts can be rated as a great job done, if the high levels of confusion, clueless unproductive activities that are speedily drowning the nation’s economy and international image can be tamed great, then one wonders where the nation is heading to.
No wonder some Greek Philosophers advocated for no voting right for the unlearned, though that was extremely undemocratic, yet one would see the seriousness of the nation allowing “Kaponyas” to be in the fore front leading election campaigns, silencing and ridiculing those they may see above them, by way of hate, insults, physical threats and abuse, etc, and becoming loud spoken over things they’re completely clueless, and directing the…
Why can’t HH also visit the mines to discuss with mine owners? HH and his advisors are quietly admitting that they have no influence over copper prices on the international markets. This idea that only a Tonga President solve Zambia’s problems is absolute BS. Look at recent elections in Tanzania, CCM was re-elected despite high level defections to the opposition coupled with serious loading shedding. If HH has balls why can’t he address the mines directly? Mr HH remember nega nega formula will deployed in all the 10 provinces; every voter will vote after their own kind.
I love the diasporan friends and their st.upid comments. Al you in diaspora who thinks HH is the only who can manage this economy you’re wrong! UPND is an under 5 party and it will continue to be. #PF forever ba mumbwe imwe after you don’t even cast the votes.
Blind follower exposing ignorance and hatred for those in diaspora without focussing the realities of what’s going on in the country as a result of pathetically clueless mediocre leadership that has crippled the nation within a short period, yet such cadres can still raise their heads high to voice out speeches of hate, ignorance, illiteracy, lack of vision, understanding and poverty stricken minds that close their eyes to reality and count everything as roses as long as they’re given a bottle of bear to blindfold them, and as long as the ones misleading the ship are of their region, tribe, or WW. Sad indeed for the nation!
pipo don’t waste time arguing over the things you know already. Voting pattern remains the same. i will vote for ECL as before so should all that voted for ECL.
Why can’t HH visit the mines?
Because he will be arrested for unlawful assembly………?
What a silly hollow statement by this lazy dull bum…why not host a press conference there in CB and tell us how you are going to that?
The mines are a business and as long as the production is low, this sector will have job cuts. Zambians esp. Our president should realize that will not benefit from the mines as long we are not part of the chain(we should be involved in every part, transport & sell negotiations) that ultimately delivers copper to buyers in China. Gov’t should not involve itself directly in business creating a socialist kind of environment in a capitalist one, it not making Zambia an attractive place to do business.
This bum Edgar has never run an honest business or has a clue how it works… he wouldn’t know what it entails…this is another reason why that IDC or ZIMCO these empty tins have created will be a lamentably failure.
The recent electoral defeat of Lowassa – opposition leader in Tanzania should serve as notice to HH that you can’t use load shedding or low copper prices to win an election. Look at Zimbabwe, the voters there prefer Robert Mugabe to Tswangri . But why?
It is because they are dull…. like you.
Because they a) like the policies of the ZANU-PF, like land redistribution to over 1 million people if you count dependents, indigenisation which demands that 51% of shares of any foreign invested mine must be in Zimbabwean hands; b) they have gotten to know the MDC for the reactionary coalition that they are, De Beers diamond miners, Rhodesian era land owners, Matabele secessionists, and Cecil Rhodes wannabees with the business ethics to go with it (like Mutumwa Mawere, who owns an asbestos mine).
When Lungu was asked about certain issues affecting the country recently he openly said that was not his job but the job of his ministers. That’s like a shop owner oblivious to what is happening in his shop, that is a sure recipe for failure. That is why lungu has no clue. Only now he is trying to know how the country functions but remains a reckless spender nowounder he was a broke lawyer.
He is too lazy to know what is happening …he is simply too dull
Ifyamba uyu guy mopani last week retrenched 600 workers.
How can this even be happening? Mines have laid off workers about 2 months ago now this statement that it “will not be allowed” to happen. It has already happened… Same with mealie meal prices – they have already risen, then come and state that they “will not be allowed” to rise, denying hard facts that anyone can see. It’s like these guys are 3 months behind reality. Next the statement will be reported by Bloomberg and they will say no, no, no this is not what they said