UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says following the placing of Chambeshi Metals on Care and Maintenance, Copperbelt Province urgently needs diversification to agriculture.
Mr Hichilema says the programme of diversifying from mining to agriculture does not need to be postponed anymore.
Mr Hichilema said under the UPND Government, the 229 miners would have been incorporated in the supply agreement with the DRC for various agriculture products or the global arrangements to supply soya beans.
He said each one would have received land for business, example if they needed land for farming, the UPND Government would have given each a minimum of 5 hectares and complete startup capital.
“At a production rate of say 4000 kg per hectare will give 20,000kg, that will translate to K110, 000 per annum, compare with their annual salary as miners of K65, 000. When we say diversity, we mean this”, he said.
About 229 workers will be laid off at Chambishi Metals on the Copperbelt by the end of this month following the placing of the mining company under care and maintenance.
Mineworkers Union of Zambia President Joseph Chewe said the workers will however be paid K45, 000 ex Gracia plus K6, 000 repatriation.
He said only 28 workers will remain at the mining company that has failed to source for stock feed to sustain its operations as they have been relying on feed stock from the Democratic Republic of Congo for its cobalt production.
It’s bn long overdue, whr is our govt doing abt it? Why cant the govt take over such industries, source for stocks frm DRC ad the country will b generating it’s own revenue than borrowing frm the Chinese.
We hv gold ad we’re silent, this silence hs something, looking for foreign investors. Who hs bn reaping since, whn a we going to wake up Zambians & Africans in general. We can do this ourselves than calling for parasites to take our riches, Awee!!!
So finally he is gracefully aging in opposition.
A call from miner to farmer. Again not all people are supposed to be miners or farmers.
See h² in the 1990s, you were not the smart kid you’re trying to play in this article. Miners suffered then just like they are suffering today.
That said you niggaz will not have full faith in the so called investors.
Plus lest it ends up like drought prone SP, call for smart agriculture in C/belt.
You are not a believer in climate change I guess but it is real and Zambians need to embrace great farming techniques.
You will understand once laid off…farming iliche
Well done Mr Hichilema,to the point.This is how a State shadow cabinet should address national issues without wasting time insulting and demeaning opponents.
Please push for a “ state funded official opposition shadow cabinet “ system.
Ubufi c1kala
Thanks to your hand in the privatisation of state owned companies, we now find ourselves in such predicament ,while you own shares in many companies at the expense of zambian people. You should be ashamed of yourself to even raise this issue. Good thing is that the pf is here to clean up yours and previous governments mess. Be thankful. Kz
UPND leader needs to urgently diversify to agriculture not people.
@ Kaizer, what will future generations say about you guys condemning them to pay huge debts they were not part of when contracting?
I was thinking HH was talking about Copperelt diversifying coz of rainfall pattern that has changed in recent years. To say we diversify because we are failing to properly use our heads is misplaced, You people get serious for once, God blessed Zambia with copper as an endowment, instead of us thinking of how best we can reap benefits from this rich resource, we are busy talking of running away from this free resource into something we are not sure of, For me, the next govt, should have only one loan which should be invested into machinery to produce copper finished products such as electrical motors, cables, etc, How many machines requires motors to operate? This strategy would push us out of poverty and the country will be back on tack.
@8 Mwelwa, YOU HAVE HIT THE NAIL ON ITS HEAD!! I wonder why our natural resources should be left to others as to exploit as we consider them a no-go area!! WHY ARE WE SO SCARED TO RUN EVEN JUST ONE MINE OURSELVES OR EVEN AS A JOINT VENTURE?? Last week, the DRC through their Mining Arm, GECAMINES opened an $800million Copper/Cobalt mine in Joint Venture with the Chinese. It is rumoured that this mine is expected to provide Copper and Cobalt for pushing the DRC into the Electric Car revolution with help of the Chinese. HERE WE HAD A BETTER START WITH ZAMEFA , SET UP BY THE TRUE PATRIOTS UNDER KK, BUT WE HAVE FAILED TO GO BEYOND THAT BCOZ MOST POLITICIANS (INCLUDING THE OPPOSITION) ARE SHORT SIGHTED,ONLY INTERESTED IN THEIR BELLIES WHILE SHOUTING VALUE ADDITION AND INDUSTRIALISATION WITH…
track
..WITH NOTHING HAPPENING ON THE GROUND. We need a revolution of leadership, like they now have in Tanzania under Magufuli!
KZ, you should be the last person to advice anyone. Give credit where it’s due. HH has said something very cardinal, what about yours?
KZ, May I ask you a question why you blame HH who was only an employee of the accountancy firm that was engaged by GRZ and maybe some key individuals from the Zoo to wind up ZCCM? I find it very sheepish, unintelligent to blame HH who was not even in MMD. For those who have done Business Management o Marketing, one ventures in a business for a profit.
KZ, as you report for work tomorrow at the Zoo, spend a moment with your colleagues to accept and appreciate HH as one of a few individuals very resilient, hardworking, and a true Zambian with his only hope, to make Zambia a better Zambia for everyone regardless of tribe and nationality.
HH has…
KZ, your comment please regarding Forest 27 and Chimutengo vs Tasila. This is the right time for individuals to start coming out clean.
Just ask yourself, ‘What if PF. lost th election?’
Please ask ECL to join UPND before it’s too late.
The last time I checked Za Yellow’s CV was him having a diploma in Agric.
I think there is a conflict between professional and professionalism and I don’t think the Minister for the Justice Ministry can justify that he is qualified enough to be responsible for that ministry.
Zambia needs a minister in that role who understands the Case Law and how in links in for example in Common Law.
HH’s politics is archaic, he doesn’t reason properly. He now wants to solve the problem he created on the Copperbelt in the 1990s with farming ideas! Does he have any advisor in agriculture or chairman of agriculture in his kantemba Upnd? Rains may be there on the copperbelt but the soils are to contaminated with mineral ores like copper, cobalt, gold, diamond, emeralds affecting uptake of fertilizers, and the air is polluted with surphur dioxide leading to rainfall comprised diluted surphuric acid, negatively affecting agricultural and big livestock production. So whatever farmers do on the copperbelt, their production will never surpass that of Central and Eastern provinces! Take note Mr. Hichilema! Ask your advisors to research before you say anything to the nation!
HH, boza maningi iwe. What about the many graduates with diplomas and certificates in agriculture, why havent you considered them? Is this the desperation levels you have reached such that you neglect those with qualifications and interest in a particular field just to pick those that you think can give you votes. Thats why we are better of with ECL than a big chancer and deceiver like HH.
The Copperbelt was home to manufacturing companies that employed lots of people in Ndola. All of them were private companies but they’re no longer there together wth the jobs they provided. Wht does HH have to do with their ditching Zambia? Interestingly, the same companies are still exporting to Zambia. Need I mention them? Dunlop, Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson&Johnson, Reckit&Colman, Lyons Brooke Bond, Rover Zambia, Diacab etc. And wht happened to Livingstone Motor Assembly?
How’s Cedric Farms in Kitwe making it then? How’s Chikwanda’s dairy farm msking it? Yes there’s lots of pollution on the Copperbelt but it’s not all areas.
Zambia has already a revolutionary leader and he is developing this country! If you can’t see it you can leave with the boy and go to RSA.