Friday, March 29, 2024

President Lungu directs Mines Minister to intervene in a rift between KCM and CEC over power

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Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Mr Amos Chanda today briefed the Press on His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia visit to the People's Republic of China.
Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Mr Amos Chanda today briefed the Press on His Excellency Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia visit to the People’s Republic of China.
President Edgar Lungu has directed the Ministries of Mines and Energy to intervene in a matter where the Copperbelt Energy Corporation -CEC-intends to cut off power to the Konkola Copper Mines -KCM- due to outstanding debt.

Presidential Spokesperson Amos Chanda says the President hopes an amicable solution is brokered between the two private companies because of the role they both play in growing the economy.

Mr. Chanda says the two Ministries who have been assigned by the President can only facilitate for dialogue between the companies.

He says the options for the Ministries of Mines and Energy are limited because the two private entities are outside governments’ jurisdiction.

The Presidential Spokesperson said this when he responded to questions from Journalists during a media briefing held at State House today.

Meanwhile Mr. Chanda told Journalists that Zambia’s relationship with the International Monetary Fund-IMF- remains intact.

He said a delegation from the institution will soon be in the country for a series of meetings.

22 COMMENTS

  1. Is this the same mouth piece that was insulting a week ago? Why can’t he hail insults to KCM and CEC then write a statement about how he was pushed to the edge about the never ceasing rift.

    • Lungu likes debt.

      Instead of just telling KCM to pay what it owes, he wants dialogue to be had.

      What will dialogue solve?

      Do you not know that debt has to be paid at agreed times you lazy dull fart Lungu?

      This is exactly how you have gotten us into this debt mess.

      Always wanting to borrow.

      Always wanting dialogue on what you have borrowed, then stolen.

      Just leave office man. We are fed up with your blurred vision.

    • When it comes to corruption reports …Lazy Lungu will drag his feet and same the relevant authorities will look into it but when its his paymasters affected he will swiftly act direct his ministers…I really doubt this man’s background.

  2. Comedy is the order of the day with these clowns. That is a private matter that should be settled in the courts of law. Contractors have been crying for years because these Indians have failed to pay them. When they cry to their leader all he said was if you don’t want KCM let them go. Why then does he want to intervene this time around? As for you Chanda your days are numbered, you have grown big headed.

    • So much for Anil stating that they will invest billions of dollars in the mine…it was all a lie only Lazy Lungu believed the vile Indian as he had given him a brown envelope

  3. lungu be pro active and find a way of getting our mines back ! These indians are messing up our mines. Why the hell should they be getting away with paying for power? Can we find a way of getting these indians out. Last time i heard they never paid suppplers. this is a joke!!! And we let them mine literally for free!

    • @3 Nigga, 100% WITH YOU .. ..WE NEED TO READ THEIR ACTIONS AND ALSO SEND A MESSAGE TO THESE MINING COMPANIES!! please see @5

    • Meanwhile Anil is busy bragging to his people in India about how he bought KCM with no money at all and how he was treated like a King by the then President…then made billions!!

  4. KCM are not straight in there operations and I’d rather have them go back. Do you know they have not paid suppliers.

  5. THIS IS WHAT INDIANS ARE, THEY LIKE ABNORMAL PROFITS BY CHEATING ON TAXES,PAYING SLAVERY WAGES and REFUSING TO PAY SUPPLIERS ON TIME AS THEY MAKE MORE MONEY OTHERS’ DUES!! WHAT KCM has started doing is what BINANI did with the RAMCOZ LUANSHYA MINE, the latter never paid for ZESCO electricity, ZAMTEL Telecoms,Salaries for workers and other dues to suppliers BUT they were mining and selling copper. THEY MADE THEIR DOUGH and LEFT US WITH AN ALMOST DEFUNCT MINE, THIS IS WHAT VENDATA (KCM) MAY LOOKING AT DOING!! IF WE HAD SERIOUS LEADERS WE COULD USED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OVER AT LEAST ONE MINE TO RUN AND USE AS A BENCHMARK FOR NEGOTIATING WITH PRIVATE MINE OWNERS!!

  6. On whose side is the Government,
    KCM or Zambians?,
    It is apparent that the government has turned its back on poor Zambians.Why is the Government supporting KCM,Can they tell the Zambians the truth,What does the government take us for?
    CHASE KCM AWAY.Period.
    CEC,switch them Off.Let them pay all the debts owing before operations begin.

    • Lazy Lungu has probably been sent by Anil…why should he direct his minister, this is what happens when you sell your soul to corrupt entities

    • The late president Levy Patrick Mwanawasasa corruptly sold KCM to his fellow corrupt Indians, the Argawals. The late president was equally a very corrupt leader.

  7. Why should he direct the minister to be involved in this matter? We know KCM’s trickery when they owe money and its due they start threatening to relieve Zambian staff and the Politicians fall for it yet they are busy transfer pricing and making that vile animal Anil very wealthy in India.
    Please just pay the bill or cut off their electricity

  8. I hope CEC does not completely switch off power to KCM. If they do, this will bring a lot of problems to provinces that depends on the kafue river for water. KCM pumps out 350 000 cubic meters of water daily and released into the kafue river. By doing so it helps to sustain the levels of water in the kafue river. We are just getting into a season where water levels in our water bodies are usually low. Beside this, if the mine turns off their pumps just for a few hours, the mine will flood crippling operations for the next 20 years…economic sabotage. Meaning for 20years or more the mine will not b able to produce copper even if the flooded mine was dewatered after 24hrs. The result of the power shut will bring about a lot of suffering for the people of copperbelt, Lusaka, southern…

    • Steve, am sure you are the immediate past KCM CEO. But the govt should just response this mine from these guys, the Argawals.

  9. #8 Steve, your concerns are misplaced, no one will completely cut off power to KCM exactly for the concerns you listed. Power suppliers are not that irresponsible.

  10. Zambia should immediately repossess the mine. Nchanga mine is two in one l personally worked in that mine which was sold for a song. We the engineers can run that mine. Please bring back Pius Maambo the former general manager and many experts. There is not short of manpower let these Indians go back to lndia.

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