Mines Minister Richard Musukwa has vowed not to resign his position over the Black Mountain disaster which claimed 10 lives.
Mr Musukwa who is also Chililabombwe Member of Parliament said there is no way he is going to resign his positions because mine accidents are common.
He attributed the accident to failure by those that invaded the mine to follow safety procedures.
The Mines Minister was speaking on Thursday in Parliament when answering questions after he delivered a ministerial statement on the Black Mountain disaster.
“I am not resigning, if criminals or illegal people invade a mining site like they did at the Black Mountain, surely that is not a good cause for me to resign,” Mr Musukwa said.
Mr. Musukwa said he would not resign because criminals invading a mining site was not a good cause for him to resign.
He explained that those who died in the Black Mountain disaster were illegal miners who were working scavengers.
“The accident that we are considering, as you know government gave a license to seven companies. The people involved in the accident were scavengers and they entered the mine site illegally,” he said.
Mr. Musukwa said people should not blow the Black Mountain accident out of proportion because mine accidents happen all the time.
“If criminals or illegal people invade a mine site like they did at the Black mountain, surely that is not a good cause for me to resign. I’m not resigning. I’m going to ensure that this matter, the unfortunate circumstance that has happened is never repeated by ensuring that our people comply with the mines and minerals act.”
“What is unfortunate is that we have an accident that has happened and this accident is unfortunate. Mr Speaker, as you are aware government and the ministry would not allow the operation that would result in an accident. As I stand, Mr Speaker, I would like to inform you that all mining operations sit on a platform of fairly stable and safety conditions which they have put in their operations.”
However, Mr Speaker, only last week I had an accident which was recorded at Konkola Copper Mine. This is a very unfortunate circumstance that happened and that we should not use it to propel different persuasions to the subject matter,” he said.
The Mines Minister also disclosed that one of the seven companies allowed to operate the Mine, Chapamo Mining Limited has taken up the responsibility of compensating bereaved families because the accident happened within their licensed area.
Resign? Ikaninyokole? No way
You wonder where the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise like Yambayamba, JUNIOR and Senior Citizen are to give us three educational paragraphs why Musukwa should not resign!!!
I think people who should resign and be tried are those who participated in Jerabo – State House trade agreement.
It always being like that in mafia business, people die!!
@Jay Jay. What makes you think I wouldn’t want this guy to resign his position? That’s d hell of an assumption to make about people you surely don’t know, right?
And in your little world you think that everybody sits by their laptop, desktop, smart phone or tablet with their fingers at the ready waiting for headlines to pop up on LT so they can comment on it? Is that what you think? Dude, don’t assume that just because you have such a boring, unproductive life, and time to waste online then everybody does.. NO! Please, keep your juvenile generalizations to your sorry self. Some of us have lives to live and other important things to attend to.
By the way, I don’t have to give you my opinion on everything or every topic because I have never fancied myself as a KNOW IT ALL like…
This is a very arrogant guy who shows no heart at all. He trivializes the loss of life that happened under his watch as minister of mines. He uses a logical fallacy by arguing that the incident shouldn’t be blown out of proportion because “mine accidents happen all the time.” Really? Mine accidents in Africa are mainly as a result of companies not following safety regulations. Most foreign companies in Africa don’t value black lives. They don’t obey the government safety guide, because they know that even if an accident happens, ministers like this heartless guy here will just dismiss it as,” accidents happen all the time.” This is dangerous talk. I can’t believe a minister would be talking like this. This empowers the foreign mining companies, and other companies who…
(Continued)… require safety regulation to ignore the safety rules. Lungu need to fire this guy, just for uttering this nonsensical statement. He’s a danger to the poor Zambian workers. Shame on him.
Disparaging the deceased lot as “scavengers” is highly insensitive and intolerable posture at a wrong time. Had Musukwa been wise and mature leader, he could have regretted that his statement is dangerously reckless and inflammable. There are statements leaders can make and avoid. I’m burdened with his lack of reasoning clouded in blatant myopia.
This guy Musaukwa, the masquarading minister of mines has no shame to speak with open mouth like that. Is he telling us criminals can carry out illigal mining day light? The so called minister is running away from responsibilities. Yes you cannot resign because only people with morals do that but for Musukwa those who died are criminals thats it.Terrible Minister!!
Trump was right about certain countries being sh!tholes…And the minister exemplifies how things are done in these countries
What do you expect from someone with a goats eye replacement??
Mr. Musukwa said people should not blow the Black Mountain accident out of proportion because mine accidents happen all the time.
It is your Duty you muppet to prevent loss of lives. Why are you a signatory to ILO Conventions on Occupational Health and Safety. You are even proud by saying “Mine accidents happen all the time”. Why are you Minister? Minister of Mine accidents? Shame on you! An accident is an accident. There was loss of Zambian Citizens who you Bwana Minister owe the Duty of Care in that office you were sworn in. It is not just to have cadres dancing for you. That office is a public office not a political office. You are a servant of the Zambian Citizens who voted for you. Think!!!!! What if it was your brother,son, nephew amongst the dead? We are talking of innocent poor…
Who in their right mind expects an ill qualified clueless P.F Belly Cadre to resign, & give up a lucrative gravy train job.
His drunken leader Jona Pombe Chakolwa is equally useless, never sacks anyone despite their misdemeanors, unless the Cadre challenges Jona’s illegal 2021 bid.
Only in Zambia!
Anyway if those dead Jerabos could rise from the dead, they would still shout DUNUNA, & vote P.F nafuchi nafuchi.
WHAT DOES ONE HONESTLY EXPECT??
My Foot!!
Ati “if those miners illegally invade a mining site, & perish, why should I resign”?
QUESTION IS WHO EMPOWERED P.F. JERABOS, & THUGS TO HAVE A BLATANT DISREGARD OF THE LAW & LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS??
Today in Zambia, P.F Cadres instruct the Police how to carry out their duties, & Police are petrified, –
[email protected] mukati of Cadres, & are now even used as punching bags, by Kaizers boy Mun.1r Zulu, with NO CONSEQUENCE @ all from the Drunken one in Nkwazi House.
ABALE’ DZIKO LATHA!!
This guy can not resign …have you seen those hungry PF Mayoral candidates, they know that once they get that job no one can get them out as its free for all no leaders to supervise them!!
. Mr Musukwa said people should not blow the Black Mountain accident out of proportion because mine accidents happen all the time
Ya! Ya! Ya! Ya! And his president allows him to serve as minister after such nonsensical talk?
There is no leadership….Head of State is just happy to be called a President and wear expensive suits!!
Musukwa’s response to the black mountain tragedy is total rubbish and nonsense least expected from the so called minister. Musukwa should be reminded that those who lost lives have families who are listening and reading about his unprofessional responses. Who appointed such a low calibre person as a minister?
HIS LEFT EYE IS ABOUT TO POPOUT.
Kikikikikiki, banda taufwa!!!!
Banda taumfwa
Zambia the so called Christian Nation….morally bankrupt nation…really laughable…have you seen this guys qualifications on National Assembly website he is a mere Science Teacher.
No leadership and no one takes responsibility!!!!
So if the people involved in the accident were scavengers and they entered the mine site illegally, why would Chapamo “Jerabo” Mining Company take the responsibility of compensating the bereaved families? Something not right bwana honourable minister. The point honourable minister is that you declared mining operations at black mountain safe for everybody including your so called invading “illegal miners”. The point is that those who warned you of an accident waiting to happen did not separate “illegal” from “legal” miners, they warned you of a serious disaster where lives would be post in numbers. Are you going to visit the bereaved families and tell them that their loved departed ones were illegals who deserved to die? Besides even the jerabos started off as and are essentially…
Nothing honourable about these thugs and their boss come Sunday they will praying with you docile foooools!!
Kikikikiki….kuti waseka nangu kuli fililo. The minister has refused to take responsibility. He is now calling his own party cadres as criminal scavengers who invaded the mine illegally. Fili okotuleya bane
… Besides even the jerabos started off as and are essentially illegals themselves. You are in a bind of your own making honourable, just tighten your own noose!
Anyway, I have neither respect nor sympathy for any jerabos no matter what clothes you dress them or how you describe, honourable. To me they are just criminal elements who should not be associated with any civil government. Look here, these criminals belong behind bars and not near us. It’s nothing to do with unemployment, employed or not employed, these are simply downright criminal minded elements!!
Ohhh now they are criminals ? They are enforcers for lungu during elections..
Honourable minister If I were you, I would have kept quiet.ala imfwa yalikalipa ngaili pali iwe.
Honourable(?) Musukwa is morally bankrupt. Even a fool cannot give such a response to the public. Those are people we have lost becuse of president Lungu’s carelessness. It is not right for Musukwa to exhibit the I don’t care attitude and showing his inefficience as a person shanted to dozzy in the mines ministry.
Ba mwankole bonse aba!
If he resigns he will die of hunger just like the thieving jerabos died. In African politics there is no morality to resig even if one cannot perform
This copper theives are a mainstay of PF support and are used by PF for violence against the opposition….today they are calling them criminals ?
Moral grounds are non-existent under PF! No honour among thieves! They are cut from the same cloth!
one can fail to describe the kind of thinking of this minister with regards to the recent deaths on he dump mine site in kitwe . all what is saying is nonsense . accidents are there in mines operations but not with the one that happened on the dump site , that was total negligence and someone should be held accountable for that. you are the minister in charge , its your duty to see that health and safety practices are adhered in the mines operations . its only a couple of weeks before the deaths happened that u were warned of the calamity by the professionals concerning the same . you such a disgrace and embarrassment together with corrupt president and his minions. The PF gov has really failed the people , you have failed to govern the country . shame on you bwana minister , u…
“Criminals or illegal people”? These are the youth you claimed to be empowering!!! Politicians are scum for sure.
This is the problem of putting people in positions they have no knowledge of; what qualification does this minister have? PF legalised them; so why call them criminals now? Lungu should put a qualified man in his position;
KK Airport Cabinet
You say Lungu should put a qualified man in his position,i fail to understand as you may be implying that the qualified man should be put in the Great Leader’s position,can you immediately apologise to the Great Leader.
This fool of a minister can tell us he cannot resign because it is the poor who have died and their lives are cheap. No wonder this character lives with his mother in Lusaka who runs his home whilst his own wife lives by herself with the children on the copperbelt and continues to bonk college and university students in Lusaka. He is such a heartless fellow who in a country with a functional leadership and democracy cannot dare carelessly open his trap the way he is doing over poor people’s deaths and still remain in government.
The president must resign
Why give licence to people with no knowledge. Mining is very risky and requires schooled human resource
Hh and gbm must be blocked in 2021 because they will do anything to get power
And ecl must NOT be allowed in 2021.
Lets us have new faces not same hh.gbm.ecl
Charles Chanda for Presidency 2021
Very sad. Lelo Mwakana abaiche who contributed to your winning elections: People learn a lesson here: But I want to commend the Copper belt Permanent Secretary, He is a man with wisdom and what ever he said over the deaths over our sons the Jerabos, there was great sense in his words. God Bless you in all your works, you are a real parent. Abantu ngabalaluba in what they do we should not condemn them like animals. We should feel sad.
Good point bwana minister, government in trying to create employment gave people a chance to mine the mountain. Out of government’s good heart. Now if every jim & jelita jumps on board, its not for the minister to resign, its for the police to arrest illegal jerabos. My recommendation would be that this mountain should be fenced off & access controlled.
The Minister said the place is safe. Have you just jumped on the bus? So when every jim and jelita went there, the minister was right to be a spectator? Can we wake up please. When every Jim and Jelita went there the minister still said the place was safe. What is difficult apa, nichizungu, Minister ayende
Mary Zulu
That is the calibre of PF being shown by Vipuku,very shallow there heros are the likes of Kampyongo and Musukwa
Why calling the Minister to resign? Then we should be calling for the head of the Transport Minister if a bus kills 10 people on the road and the driver or the bus owner is at fault.
We should be calling for the resignation of the health Minister if Cholera kills 10 people,
We should be calling for the resignation of the Home affairs Minister if robber steal from 10 houses.
But the man lied that the place is safe, that is why he should resign. The other people like the head of transport cant resign because he never lied. one of the tenets of leadership is good judgement, in this case there wasn’t any good judgement from the Minister of Mines and there could be a lot of bad judgements on his part that should make us worry as the people being led. There must be some accountability, 10 lives lost and business as usual, no consequences
THE MINISTER SAID IT WAS SAFE FOR THOSE DELINQUINTS TO OPERATE THERE THAT IS WHY THE CALL FOR HIS RESIGNATION.
@ Ken
what you are suggesting is actually what it should be.I know why you find your own questions strange.
Ba Nundwe, I repeat GOD BLESS YOU. You are the only Government Official who has spoken comforting words to the parents and other mourners in Kitwe. Surely God has not given you a Spirit of timidly and fear. That is how a parent should speak. Once more I say God bless your hands and the Power of Holy Spirit will always protect you in Jesus’s name.
Yes Ba Nundwe said a lot of sense. He spoke from his heart. Some govnt officials dont care as long as they are benefiting from the black mountain. That thing should just be shut down and give it to professional mining company to run it. Ba Musukwa bena should just resign chapwa. He is so arrogant.
THESE PEOPLE THEY CALL IMISEPELA…..WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE……NOW THEY ARE SCAVANGERS…
The people Musukwa has called criminals will answer him through the ballot
Health and Safety not in place that’s a problem,that includes security how do you get into the mining area without authorisation from the mine manager.That mountain should be fenced and only authorised personel allowed to enter.You cannot allow any Jim and Jack to enter area without authorisation.
@ yambayamba, jst at moment we are not interested in what u do or the live u have! jst comment why Musukwa should not resign or be fired!! take take to look at senior citizens comment! why are u taking offence on jay jay??
Don’t mind him …he thinks we care about what he does…these are the type of Zambians who walk in meetings pointing at people with their car keys and waving the car logo in people’s faces as if everyone in the room came on donkey carts.
Dude, then leave me out of your silly comments next time. Especially when I have not even said anything for you to react to. Simple as that!
IN THE EYES OF THE PF, COMMON ZAMBIANS , ARE ALL CRIMINALS AND SCAVENGERS. UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS ARE ILLEGALS AND DO NOT DESERVE ANY SYMPATHY EVEN IN THEIR DEATH. AS JERABOS WE NOTE VERY WELL INDEED THE VERY CLEAR SIGNAL FROM THE RULLING PARTY.
Ofcourse he wont, bana baza dya chani? But he can not continue in his capacity as Minister of Mines. Your Excellency the Great leader of this Great nation please move him to another ministry for the sake of the grieving family.
If he does not want to resign let the President fire him. That’s why this country will never develop. Someone who terribly misled the nation clings on to his position after such a terrible disaster. He will continue mismanaging the affairs of this important ministry
Disciplinarian
Which president are you suggesting should fire him?Not the one in State House he is too busy scheming for 2021 to be disturbed by what this incompetent sorry excuse for a Minister said
Lazy can only fire someone who aspires for his Presidency nothing else…even if you are sick for 2 years he doesnt mind.
We surely need new people Lets Try Charles Chanda for Presidency 2021
Richard my friend, if you think you are not supposed to resign – who should resign then. Because clearly and politely somebody needs to resign. This was not an accident and Kitwe mayor Kango’mbe even warned before the tragedy. For you to start calling the lives we lost as criminals and illegal scavengers is not good. Did you not know that there were illegal scavengers on site who could have lost their jobs? You are a good guy unfortunately this tragedy is too huge to ignore – ten young lives – you just have to go Mwana.
The bloack mountain was solid when it was handed over until recently when the “famous Jerabos” used explosives to agitate it. The consequences are very clear namely cracking walls and window panes of nearby houses and indeed the collapse of the heap. Who is to blame is the site manager for failing to apply the rules of the game. We have chamber of mines, and whats their role? Musukwa cannot be at every mine atone time.
HH should resign for losing 5 times!
If this is not a glaring indication to those constantly in denial, of the kind of people appointed to critical government positions, I don’t know what more evidence they need. This is a pathetic response to say the least, albeit in a regime that rules through populism, rent seeking and reactions. A regime devoid of any aorta of processes, civilized governance or respect for humanity. How many times should we say you were warned? Until the whole fabric of Zambia’s existence comes tumbling down at the hands of clueless resource sharing political opportunists?
Lives have been lost and it is sad. The reasons go deeper than a safety issue. They underlie the current social economic underpinnings of a population that has been used by unscrupulous politicians (with Lungu at the helm) without…
… any meaningful sustainable livelihood returns.
U have no shame minister and the World has known u. If u had any dignity u can not even respond better to be quiet. Time will come when u will be removed disgracefully with shame.
“I will not resign over Black mountain disaster”,-Musukwa. Gentlemen, it’s like we expected him to resign. Clearly, that has not even crossed his mind.
Dead man in control of ministry. Dull science teacher.