Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe and District Commissioner Elias Kamanga have initiated roundtable discussions with the Chinese and also other stakeholders in Kitwe to ease the suspicion and animosity by the locals towards the Chinese community.
Recently, residents in Kitwe have been annoyed that foreign nationals especially Chinese have invaded the retail, poultry farming and block making business.
They said foreign nationals particularly the Chinese trading in Zambia should be restricted to wholesale trading only and give chance to the Zambians to trade in retail.
Stakeholders in Kitwe proposed that policy makers should put together the pieces of legislation that will govern trade in the country if ordinary Zambians are to benefit.
Speaking during a public consultative meeting on the implementation of the Statutory Instrument No 1 of 2017 in Kitwe, the stakeholders said Zambians have been neglected by government in doing business.
They said local traders have been unfairly treated compared to the foreigners as seen by the growing numbers of them in markets across the country.
They emphasized that foreign nationals need to recognise that Zambia is a country of laws and as such they need to respect the trading laws.
They said the people doing business feel that government does not protect them because of unclear laws that govern trade in the country.
With the meeting with the Chinese Nationals, the following was agreed
1. That all Chinese companies must make available their investments licence indicating nature of business, together with work permits.
2.That all Chinese retail shops operating in Kapoto compound, Chimwemwe, Miseshi and Chamboli relocate to town centre or shopping malls and industrial area.
3. That there be an approved list of items to be sold by the Chinese under retail and wholesale sections.
4. That Chinese companies be requested to consider paying more than the k 990 minimum wage per month.
5.That main contractors on the road project ( AVIC) and water project ( CHICCO) comply with section 4 of the S.I No. 1 of 2017 to subcontract Zambian companies on transporting public procured goods.
6. That all Chinese operated companies in Kitwe apply for membership to the chamber of commerce and industry.
7.That all Chinese companies in Kitwe begin undertaking corporate social responsibility programmes.
How can a Chinaman come and sell chickens here, where are they getting feed and chicks, are they imported chicks? With regards to shops
The Chinese are well feed and well dressed, in short sleeves, its October kaa.
Now look at those commanding Chinese, how can you dress like that in hot October? Worse balasako nama sunglasses.
When we tell you that there is lawlessness in Zambia now, because clueless Lungu doesn’t know what to do, you think we’re just being hard on him. The government should’ve already set the rules down for these foreigners coming into the country. How do they even get into the country? Under what conditions? What kind of Visas do they have? What’s the minimum investment money do they need to have before they can be allowed to do business in Zambia? Who qualifies to be a foreign investor in Zambia? Corrupt clueless Lungu won’t explain any of this. He’s just conveniently quiet, while the Chinese are taking over everything in Zambia, from selling chickens, roasted maize. to selling of land. Yes the Chinese are selling land in Zambia now. Zambia is increasingly becoming a lawless…
…. country. I commend the Kitwe City Council for taking it upon themselves to set up some basic guidelines. They’ve seen that they can’t depend on clueless Lungu and his gang. Because clueless Lungu is not interested in doing anything to help them out. He’s busy looking for the next brown envelope. A few years from now, Zambians will have less and less opportunities—in their own country. Wait till the Chinese begin to fight for “rights” to be included in politics, police force, army, etc. Very mediocre and incompetent leadership led by clueless Lungu.
With regards to shops, shops with a length of 500m2 or less should not be operated by Chinese, they should only operate shops with 500.01m2 and above.
Chinese should be strictly restricted to engineering /technical kind of stuff. Trading wholesale & retail that’s for Zambians or licensed foreign outfits like Shoprite .
Comment: I commend the mayor and the DC for this action which is long overdue. I would like also to suggest that the processing of the black mountain material be restricted to Zambians. How can a Chinese be a manufacturer in China and a retailer in Zambia as well? Investment licenses should be given with guidelines. The Chinese are very selfish in their dealings they only support themselves leaving out Zambians. While Zambians are becoming poorer and poorer they play with money in their casinos which are all over the town. They are literally in control of everything at the moment. They have really made Zambians poor. Control them sir.
Black Africans are prostituting themselves to the Chinese for a few dollars. This includes giving bad loans, then enjoying the interest off of Black labor or buying up land from corrupt and weak minded politicians. China and Chinese are stomping on, abusing, murdering, disrespecting, and laughing at Black Africans world wide (to include in China). Chinese will murder Blacks in China, and get away with it, while laughing.
Black Africans look like they have no pride, no shame, and no self respect to continue to allow this. Instead of pride, you have those putting on skin bleach, buying dead hair from Asians to put on top of their heads, or trying to lay up with anything with white skin. A shame and disgrace.
Sick and tired of this Chinese infiltration. We should just start chasing them. Those who are already here are enough. We should not take in more
For sure, we are not allowed to go to their country to start businesses so why should we tolerate them?
Larry, that’s true. It extremely hard to be allowed to work in China, even if you’re married to a Chinese citizen. China is one of the countries with the most stringent immigration laws in the world. You can’t even be a Chinese citizen—even if you’re married to a Chinese. And yet when they come to Zambia, we roll out a red carpet for them. Very foooolish. No wonder Zambia is increasingly becoming a laughing stock in the world today.
The young man Christopher is exhibiting rear traits of leadership, these are the guys that should be head hunted by national leadership not picking the kampyongo’s,lusambos all they know is bootlicking and corruption.
Yes I concur with you Bozo, Kangombe and Kamanga are a good team to be recommended for national leadership duties.
With an advanced economy of $14trillion Chinaman shouldn’t be coming to Zambia for smalltime retail in a $24bn economy.That’s akin to Lungu being a hawker around Chibolya.
Just correction ba LT, Elias Kamanga is N/P PS and not Kitwe DC. The DC is Benny Mpundu another vibrant young man.
SHARON,I HAVE BEEN CHECKING ON ALL YOUR POSTING.WHAT HATE DO U HAVE FOR TONGAS,UPND & HH?MY DEAR SISTER BE MATURE.ALL YOUR POSTING ARE SO UNINSPIRING FULL OF NONSENSE AND HATE.WHAT MAKES YOU BITTER?BUSY CALLING HH AS A THIEF CAN U BRING THE EVIDENCE AND TAKE HIM TO COURT.U HELLUCINATE ALOT.
Was the local leadership hospitalized in ICU when the Chinese were setting up businesses in Kapoto Compound? Awe sure its a big problem that’s why it takes the minister to monitor employees reporting time at Zesco etc when they have officers to do the job. No action on failing officers, check all the institutions the minister has been visiting you will find answers yourselves. And they are paid for doing nothing and every year push for increase in salaries. None of the listed will take effect.
Iyo kwena this is stupidity at its best!!!
I salute the Kitwe mayor and the DC for taking such a bold step, and I can only hope that their approach to this Chinese issue wont be misunderstood by some powerful people at state house to the extent of frustrating such good initiatives. We need to safeguard our local interests.Otherwise whats the point of calling Zambia a sovereign state when day in and day out we are busy surrendering our birth rites at alarming levels?
@5 WhereIsPride Thanks FOR LAYING BARE THESE TRUE BUT DISTURBING FACTS!! I always wonder why a self respecting person can resort to selling into slavery his own kith and kin and worse still, why our women fail to appreciate the nature in which God has made us! WHY SHOULD SOMEONE FEEL PRIDE IN WHAT IS FAKE; fake skin colour, fake finger nails,fake hair..??
Can we not replace the “chinese” with foreign nationals? so that all foreign nationals leave the retail business to the locals.
KANGOMBE is kind of leaders we dont have today! surely taming the chines is not difficulty, he is the kind of leader who does not sing praise and worship in for el in his speech! gvt behavior towards those who criticise its relationship wit china is like desperate woman looking for marriage or a papa follower, they are not easily convinced!!!!
kangombe is simply a shallow thinker…. pure cadre………. same level with lusambo
The Chinese started infiltrating Zambia and Africa in the Chiluba years. Social media has just educated the masses. Every city should have these ideals.
This is also taking place in Lusaka. These foreigners must only be allowed to operate value addition business, not in wholesaling and retail. Kaunda chased the Greeks, Indians and so on from what know then as second-class trading areas. Who has allowed them now to open businesses in these compounds and do business in the compounds? Where are putting Zambians?