Four Senior Citizens have accused mining firms of extorting the country’s mineral wealth in preference of enriching their respective countries .
They said during a courtesy call on President Edgar Lungu yesterday at State House in Lusaka where they discussed a number of key socio-economic issues in the country.
Veteran politician and freedom fighter Sikota Wina, former ZCCM Chairman Francis Kaunda, former Minister in the MMD regime Peter Machungwa and Mr Yotam Kacham jointly charged that mine companies were under declaring production and not paying the requisite and appropriate corporate tax.
Spokesperson for the quartet, Mr Kaunda charged that mining firms were secretly and illegally mining gold, cobalt, platinum and other precious minerals which they are selling on the international market for their own benefit.
“ Government ( should therefore ) to engage Zambian experts and undertake a mineral audit in the country to determine how much the country is losing out from its mineral wealth and verify claims by mines that they are not making profits, “ he said.
The former ZCCM chairman said it is not right for mining firms to be rejecting feasible mine tax regimes from government adding that it should thoroughly ensure that ordinary Zambians benefit from the country’s mineral wealth.
And Dr Machungwa on his part urged government to find better ways of financing the education of underprivileged people in the country.
“ The rising number of private universities entails that there is an increasing number of deserving vulnerable pupils and students who are not accessing bursaries and scholarships, “ he said.
Mr Yotam Chikamba paid glowing tribute to President Lungu for ensuring that peace and unity is maintained in the country and that national dialogue is upheld.
He said there is need for all stakeholders to cherish and work for the peace the country continues to enjoy 55 years after independence.
Meanwhile, Mr Sikota Wina said senior citizens in the country are happy with the leadership and governance track record of President Lungu and urged him to continue embracing Zambians.
And President Lungu assured the senior citizens that government will take into account their concerns over alleged malpractices by mining firms in the country.
The Head of State said Education for all Zambians is among the top items on his development agenda saying education is cardinal in providing a cadre of qualified and professional workforce to run the various key sectors of the economy.
He said competing needs have always derailed government’s intention of rolling out education for all.
President Lungu also disclosed that he has instructed the Secretary to Cabinet to review the way freedom fighters in the country are being looked after.
The President said he wants the welfare of Zambia’s freedom fighters improved due to the immense efforts they made in attaining freedom for the country.
He said Cabinet Office will have to identify genuine freedom fighters around the country so that government can look after them with the respect they deserve.
The senior citizens afterwards presented a bible to President Lungu to guide him in governing the country.
Glencore International pleads guilty to that charge but the PF government is also an accomplice .
Good to see Francis Kaunda. Where can I find his book – Selling the Family Silver.
Problem is not the Mines, it is the leadership. Can Freedom Sikazwe negotiate sensibly with the Mines? Who appointed him. Mines are in business and they will always want to maximize on profits, that is why we need a smart leadership to engage at the same level
Francis Kaunda is the reason mines are in foreign hands today. He mismanaged ZCCM/Zimco during UNIP reign & oversaw privatiztion of the mines during MMD reign. He lived an opulent lifestyle, building his mansion using pan-bricks imported from Australia, and had a hobby of collecting expensive vintage cars whilst ZCCM collapsed due to the theft & entitlement culture.
Today he can stand on an ant-hill condemning mines when he’s the real root cause.
We haven’t forgotten Peter Machungwa’s (together with Godden Mandandi & Katele Kalumba) stealing K2-billion from Govt to finance the 2001 MMD convention.
Hereon have endorsed the position of my fellow patriotic Senior Citizens. We give unflinching support to GRZ for the position taken on behalf of the people to collect all the dues from mining organizations. They are in business because what the mine from our soil is valuable and giving shareholders good investment retains. Had Zambian mines been money shredding ventures, shareholders could have long called for an exit strategy. Operations are expanding because they are in big money.
Smart leadership does not include the likes of Halusa Hagain
Maintain lower corporate taxes to attract investment. what we needs are jobs for our people and our people will in turn pay taxes and increase revenue for government. The elders have one party mentality in mind and they want to nationalize the mines.
Wonders indeed shall never end! FK can have the guts to stand and condemn the same people he helped to come and loot the country of its natural resources? Look at how he is looking famished and the ka Jacket as if he had a fight to get it from the rat’s mouth? This is a lesson that greediness does not pay. The same will be true of the ones posing with him on the photo, their time to look like him or even worse will surely come. I am really ashamed to be a Zambian under this “able leadership of the Commander in Chief” Kikikikikikikiki.
@Chilankalipa, more and more Zambians are beginning to feel your name. You cannot fo.ol all of the people all of the time. Your comment is on point.
The likes of Francis Kuanda have even the balls to show themselves without shame any what do you expect with Lazy Lungu…if Zambia was Russia these are the people who would own the Copper Mining Companies Indian of that filthy Indian Anil …the likes of Kuanda were the technocrats of that era this guy was powerful happy with short term gains likes a company car, house, hefty salary instead of thinking long term for our country. That Indian didn’t have a million dollars lying around he got the $25 million from selling the copper he dug out from the mine and paid for it.
This guy had all the know how the contacts in the world …I still can not wrap my brain how these guys like Francis could sell a mine to an Indian with no cash for $25 million dollars making billions today
Francis Kaunda casts a forlorn figure.
Njala ya baba.
Interesting how Zambians want to ignore facts even when they are glaringly obvious before them. HH has consistently been accused of selling the mines, but when recent document revealed that the actual person that was given the task to sell most Mines was actually FRANCIS KAUNDA (FK) most people have quietly swept this under the carpet and continued with their twisted narrative that CB caders love so much. Now that recently calls have come up to revisit the sell of state assets suddenly the Old Man FK has come on the scene infact ECL has even included him on a delegation to SA for the Mining indaba. If you are looking for anyone that sold the mines to question it is Mr. FK. he just doesn’t seem so rich because was quite the drunkard. Interesting Indeed
I hope HE asked them about the privatization of the mines because those are the chaps who were in the driving seats.
There was an opportunity for him to ask Francis Kaunda about the privatisation of the mines.
Francis Kaunda that name …we used to look up to him ..they were the Bill Gates of the 80-90s in Zambia but they sold everything including the table and have nothing tangible to show for it.
Blacks dont read…Thats what happens when you cant manage business despite all the attained education in the country! Sheet hole country!!
Francis Kaunda, after running down ZCCM, after selling Ndola Trust School to himself, today he should could out an a wise Senior Citizen. Mr Sikota arrested for drug dealing, this was a circus rather than a progressive meeting.
If you are sure that Francis sold Ndola trust school to himself, tel us how many cattle from ZCCM farms did HH sell to himself?
Bo Sikota even in his old age he makes headline..is it two years ago when he had headlines with that wedding to that your girl.
Ask the Indian Govt and KK as to who Hussein (Sikota Wina is)? Arthur Wina is the only respectable former leader in this family whose legacy has been distorted by his widow now masquerading with the masquerades.
In fact they are more Francis Kaundas in such names as Edward Shamutete, Emmanuel Mutati, Fredrick Bantubonse all these are mine business mercenaries produced by Zambia for the foreigners and by their greediness to destroy mining in Zambia.
FK seems not in good shape
I am not surprised these are chaps when you went to visit their homes you will find a fully stocked bar by the swimming with a bar tender.
Maloza you’ve hit the nail right on the head. Individuals like this Mr Francis Kaunda really mismanaged ZCCM. The company went under with a lot of minerals still in the ground. The foreigners came in and brought technology and financial capital to mine what these Kaundas failed to mine and these fellows are now condemning them. Lets have a sense of shame. If anything had these so called wise Senior Citizens been really wise they would be owning the mines right now and employing fellow Zambians. Seeing them at state house makes a sad picture because someone is being misadvised by people who failed to run the mines.
UPND cadres talk like running a conglomerate is like running after cattle
This Shu Shu character definitely was born after 2000. Too dull, too uninformed.
We all know their history now trying to be
Very good citizens. Look back where you
Are coming from .so better to sleep and
Enjoy your wealth before we investigate
Your wealth.
I totally agree with Obatala @1.2. This country allowed foreigners to take over our mines due to the deception that our mines were no longer profitable. We are crying foul now after seeing the massive production and profits they are making today. Is that Mr. Francis Kaunda, the one who used to import bricks from Europe for building his house when he was ZCCM Chairman?
These guys were importing Kitchens from UK for their wives..they were happy with short term gains now even the kids of today remember them. BUFFOON CK with his little money used to brag about drinking tea in London and Dinner in Lusaka these guys were doing it everyday
What they mine from our soil is valuable and meeting shareholders’ expectations. No investor would continue vesting a fortune in perpetually loss-making ventures. Mining investors cannot make poor investment decisions to stay in loss-making ventures. They have murder boards on project selection. These are experts whose job is to kill any poor projects falling short of their Scoring Models or indeed off some set Economic Model, Payback Period, DCF, NPV, and IRR. Investment in Zambian mines is giving shareholders Great retains. Politics aside, let’s collect taxes and develop Zambia. No foreign power or interest groups will develop our nation, but ourselves the day we will realise the burden of responsibility for hard work and collecting good value from our vast natural resources.
F@ckers Looted ZCCM wealth, what can they tell us!!!! (Zambia Chipuba Chaonaula Mine)
I don’t understand why in this country anyone who hits retirement age wants to claim that they are freedom fighters.
You claim to be freedom fighters like the Winas yet you are happy to work in an authoritarian regime …happy to enjoy the peaks!!
The current president is complicit in the mine companies scooting monies from this country. Is he not the man that discontinued the case in which Kasolo was suing the mine company for using monies from our mines to grow businesses elsewhere? Did he support the mines for nothing? Is he a patriot or as corrupt as they come????
So the man who was at the centre of privatizing the mines is there under your nose and you still want a commission of inquiry on HH’s involvement in the privatization scandal?
Francis Kaunda please, no!!! You are not going to launder your image like this. You are worse than the mine owners you are condemning.
He has gone to teach Lungu how they can steal more money from the mines together, like he did with previous leaders
He knows that Zambians have a poor reading culture and easily duped…this is a country where even someone like Sampa can stand there and say I will provide free WiFi and still win
I really must meet Freedom Sikazwe to appreciate why the President values this man so much!
You must also meet Kaizer …you can tell what type of a man is by the people he surrounds himself with…that’s why a new girlfriend even after dating you for a while still wants to meet your friends
Birds of feather flock together! You will be shocked when you don’t find much between the ears there! Aghast these are the fellows upon whom we bestow the running of this country. It is little wonder the slide is one way! Surely we can do better than this for the motherland.
All i am seeing are Job seekers, All these guns had time to make a difference in their days but what has changed now? We have enough of recycled politicians not business managers please!
I think its a case of being not being part of the system exploiting us. Francis Kaunda was part of the system that robbed Zambia of the mines.
All these old I…. Would have had the chance to do something…..and what did they do??? And now they want to be clever. Haha.
Expect the worst under Hichilema, he’s said they’re waiting for him. Obviously they will finance his campaign. Last time Mazoka lost Anglo pulled out because their candidate had lost. The Mason Party isn’t good for Zambia
These senior citizens quietness regarding governance issues is a puzzle. How they let the church meddle in politics instead of helping to raise funds to build the house of prayer one wonders. Some church did not want Sumaili to be minister of religious affairs but them because they thought they were from a”bigger” church. They well know that the monies so given shall not go to their coffers. In this case the money to manage the indaba should go to them. Please go pray for the sick at chainama and prove your worth and NOT politics which is not your calling.