firm’s pavilion yesterday during the ongoing eighth Southern Tourism,
Agricultural and Commercial Show Society (STACSS) in Livingstone
ZESCO Limited National Spokesperson Henry Kapata says the current power restrictions stand at 90 Mega Watts for Kalumbila Mine the Mining Firm’s own declaration to the power utility.
Mr. Kapata further explains that the power restriction of 189 Mega watts for Kansanshi Mine was also based on their own declaration which they made to ZESCO in November 2015.
He said the power restrictions were mutually agreed upon by the parties contrary to claims by Kalumbila that the restriction is at 70 megawatts.
Mr. Kapata says ZESCO Limited has an obligation to state the facts following the Mining Firms statement yesterday suggesting that it plans to lay off 730 workers arising from ZESCO’s restriction of power.
He was speaking in an interview with ZNBC News in Lusaka.
Kalumbila Mines has announced plans to lay off 730 workers citing ZESCO Power restrictions.
And Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili has challenged Kalumbila Mine in North western province to be truthful over their intentions to retrench 730 workers.
Mr. Kambwili says the mine had requested ZESCO to construct a power line from Lusaka to Kalumbila in a bid to boost production at the mining firm.
Mr. Kambwili added that it is not possible for the Mine to retrench workers over a power line that is currently under construction as requested.
He advised the mining firm to dialogue with Government and ZESCO over the speedy completion of the project.
Kalumbila Minerals limited has since summoned mine Unions to consultative meeting following plans to retrench 730 workers at its 2.1 billion US dollars Trident Sentinel Copper mine in Solwezi North Western province.
Another *****ic discussion. Even when connected to the new power line, there will be no power coming through to the mine. All of us are connected but we still have no power for 8 to 12 hours every day.
Hon Chimbwili, Why are you not warning them sternly like you have been doing with these other mines? Are you running out of steam?
Edgar should make a trip to Solwezi and assure the miners that he will save all their jobs, insult all the mine owners – then the inevitable happens, all the 730 workers lose their jobs and sent into farming with just $1,650 (K 18,000), without any agricultural skills.
We ran out of ideas before PF was even elected to Government.
That is why we had to campaign on LIES and 90 day PROMISES.
Nothing has changed since then.
Mr Kwambili is not being honest, he takes a righteous stand and says the mine should not blame Zesco but in truth Zesco has been incompetent in building the new transmission line and has caused huge delays and added cost. Zesco never takes responsibility for the harm it is causing all of us. The first step to being accountable is to admit your failures, when will Zesco learn.
WE KNOW ITS ONE WAY OF DECAMPAIGNING THE GOVT BY THESE MINE OWNERS THEY DONT KNOW HH HE WILL CHASE THEM ALL AND BRING ANGLO AND LATER GET THE MINES AT A VERY CHEAP PRICE.
ADVISE TO MINE OWNERS CAN T U WAIT A BIT COS YO ACTIONS ARE UNFAIR TO LUNGU BUT IF U FEEL U SHUD DECAMPAIGN HIM GO AHEAD BUT THE FACT IS LUNGU WILL SMASH THIS TRIBAL CHAP ONCE AND FOR ALL BACK MUKU CHEMA UTUBUSHI
VOTE LUNGU
Rising hydro prices are driving down the Zambia Kwacha, economy, laying off workers, grocery prices keep on rising, and government is denying the cause. Mr. Chishimba Kambwili who has been down playing that Load Shedding will not exert much impact on Zambian economy is now blaming the mining companies. He think the mines is like ZESCO, where he would walk in and fire the CEO and the Board or stop ZESCO from laying off workers who are not needed. Another Blind minister has appointed new ZESCO Board on strength of academic qualifications and experience not related to utility. Our Cabinet is now confused-is working like a flip flop, no firm decision because it has rejected knowledge from economists and others who mean well for Zambia.
Chinese communist party has one of the most educated members of the political party in the world. They don’t talk about grade 12 certificates as is the case in zambia 50 plus years after independence. We are unlucky because even a grade 7 in zambia can lead as long as he knows how to talk and convince people. Today China has the highest gdp in the world and America is afraid because the ruling party in China has prominent intellectuals only as members and has no single party cardre, because they just bring confusion and breed hatred which in turn gives birth to violence and civil wars in Africa.
Shame ba PF no proper direction!!!!
The headline is misleading, At a glance, I thought ZESCO was laying off 730 employees.
The headline should have been” ZESCO says laying of of 730 workers by KALUMBILA has nothing to do with power restrictions”
@Jason Nyirenda please go and purchase spectacles