FORMER north-western province minister Dawson Kafwaya has demanded that PF must immediately release its findings from investigations conducted into the Mwinilunga gold scam in which its North-Western Province chairman Jackson Kungo was implicated.
And Kafwaya has questioned PF’s special interest in gold mining, which is supposed to be a national strategic asset meant to benefit the masses.
In an interview, Kafwaya demanded that the ruling party released the outcome of its investigations into the Mwinilunga gold scam involving Kungo, dismissed North-Western Police Commissioner Hudson Namachila, among others.
“They said some team had been sent to Mwinilunga to go and investigate what happened at the mine in Mwinilunga. But up to now, the outcome of that investigation hasn’t been availed to the people. So, people are anxious! They want to know what the outcome was from those investigations because it’s like some people are sacred cows. When you look at the provincial chairman, Jackson Kungo, he looks like a sacrificial lamb. There are a lot of people, who are involved in that scam and they should be exposed so that they are known that they were also part of the same syndicate. So, for me, I think Mr Kungo has been sacrificed because we saw a lot of people going there and truly if it was a fact-finding mission about the illegal mining in Mwinilunga, a lot of names, even big names, should have been exposed,” Kafwaya said.
And Kafwaya questioned PF’s particular interest in gold mining.
“That mine is a public thing; it’s not for the party. It is a natural resource for the people of Zambia. So, if there is any investigation, which is done, it should be done publicly so that the people know. And when you compare, there is gold in Petauke, there is gold in Mumbwa and other places, and we have seen small-scale mining going on up to now, but there hasn’t been any serious thing done like the way it has happened in Mwinilunga. So, now, people are wondering that what is it which is in that mine? So, there are just lots of questions about that mine because the locals feel they are being deprived of their birth-right, they should also benefit! So, people are complaining that there is unfairness because if you look at the people, who have been mining gold from the time the local people were displaced, it has been people coming from other areas, not local people,” he observed.
Meanwhile, Kafwaya noted that Zambians could only benefit from the burgeoning gold mining industry if government and its officials did not involve themselves in conducting mining activities.
“The gold mines in Solwezi, Kalumbila, Mwinilunga and surrounding areas should be privately owned if real and meaningful development is to go to the local people. What happens in other parts of the world is that, if you have oil at your family land, you will not be displaced by any other investors and receive little to no compensation at all. Instead, the government will help you find people, who can help establish your plant and start extracting oil. It will be a family mine and the role of government is to ensure you get the best investment so that they can do what governments do best – collect tax! The role of government is not to run mines, it is to collect tax. Mines should be run by families on whose land there is gold, or, indeed, whatever mineral is there,” advised Kafwaya.
“But in this country, we have very colonial laws and policies that are aimed at disadvantaging the locals at the expense of foreign investors so that those in government can get kickbacks! When the British were developing the colonial Constitution, what they had in mind was to ensure that native Africans did not benefit anything from the minerals on their ancestral land, hence the archaic law on land and mineral resources. And today, colonialism is in form of government operatives, who come to beat people, lock them up and displace them out of their ancestral land in the name of government assets. The idea is to enrich themselves! What is happening in North-Western and the surrounding areas is terrible to say the least. No natives are benefiting or will benefit from the gold mines in Mwinilunga. Instead, people from outside the province, in the name of government, are looting North-Western Province of its resources leaving nothing but polluted land, air, water, noise pollution and disease.”
I’m sure you are now regretting to disappointing upnd.please pf don’t follow what he is asking you to do.
This gold is NOT going to benefit zambia. It will only benefit pf and foreigners.
We have seen the exact same thing in zimbabwe. The country sits on laege gold deposits all over. Illegal mining by caders is prevalent. The main beneficiary is Mnangagwa and his close circle. The rest of the majority of the population live like dogs.
That exactly where we are headed with this gold thing in Zambia. In fact this might be fuel for eventual civil unrest in the country.
We cannot allow zambia to become the next zimbabwe just because of the greed and incompetence of a few corrupt individuals.
KAGAME SENDS 18 CHINESE BACK TO CHINA AS HE TAKES NO NOSENSE
18 CHINESE people were sent packing back to China on Wednesday . This came after the General Mr PAUL KAGAME the president of Rwanda found out that they were mistreating Rwandan workers and grubbing lands of farming from them.
CHINESE people also took advantage of making workers work abnormal hours like slaves. Mr KAGAME said; “Africa is a peaceful continent, we don’t tolerate discrimination here or to be slaves again.
This country is for Africans and those who mean well for us. I’m instructing those 18 chinese to go back and never return back! Rwandan must enjoy their rights in their country! let this be a lesson for the remaining Chinese and other investors! Respect us and we’ll welcome you with our good…
While the Zambian kachasu drunk is asleep…..
The evil men behind gold arr Edgar Lungu and his PF minions we know that. They can’t release the report.
We have to wake from our sleep and vote out PF government.
We shall talk and nothing will change.
PF must go!
Madilu system, go first.Next year aluta contnua
Your arrogance as you PF minions. We shall kick you out next year.
Our GDP per Capita is very low compared to our neighbors like Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Angola. We need to improve the quality of life in Zambia please
“…The gold mines in Solwezi, Kalumbila, Mwinilunga and surrounding areas should be privately owned if real and meaningful development is to go to the local people…The role of government is not to run mines, it is to collect tax. Mines should be run by families on whose land there is gold, or, indeed, whatever mineral is there… ” WHAT A LET DOWN, KAFWAYA IS. SLAVE MENTALITY AND A CADRE. WHY ARE WE CURSED WITH SUCH ” LEADERS”?????
These P.F Jackals -(Pumbwa’s) will NEVER EXPOSE their Evil crooked deeds.
From George Ch@vula server room fraudster, 42 Wheelbarrows, 42 mysterious & Esw@t!ni mansions, Burning of Markets, Lusaka Forest aquifer, Mukula, fencing of forest in Nyimba, Sp@x the P.F, G@sser & now Gold.
Chances are T@s!la has dropped dealing in Mukula as it’s now a hot potato & deep into Gold dealing, with her perpetually Drunk Dad supervising the Plunder. DREAM ON IF YOU THINK FOR ONE SECOND, THESE CR00KS WILL EXPOSE THEMSELVES.
Lastly #P.FMUSTGO!
If lungu does not want to release investigations into the gassing of our people resulting in mass murder of new than 50 innocent civilians by irate mobs , what makes you think he will release findings into his stealing ????
Those PF theives were only sacked because lungu and his gang were not given a share of the stolen gold…..
Even the debt restructuring advice paying a foreign firm , lungu is only concerned about the comfidelety that comes with hiring a foringe firm , lungu wants to hide the true level of Zambias debt and local advisors will revel the extent of the looting
….and this coming from a guy who not long ago urged people to support ECL in 2021 “to enable him to complete all development projects “. Unprincipled chaps trying to hedge their bets so that they can benefit whichever way things fall. When he was N. Western Minister, he conveniently forgot to champion this cause. Now he would have us believe he has developed a conscience. Not impressed. What happened they left you out of the deal?
@ Zambian Citizen, whats wrong with the statement you copied? Please clarify.
They were quick to investigate the gold scam but could not investigate who owns 48 houses in Lusaka, not Mumbwa or kalabo but in Lusaka, under their noses. What a bunch of jackals!
@Spiderly: in 2002, Levy and the MMD handed over the mines in the hope of better jobs and taxes for Zambians, what is the situation today?? Slave conditions, less taxes thanks to vat refunds and transfer pricing, sales deposited in foreign banks. The notion that GRZ has no business in business is a big con, Asia has developed through owning their assets and managing them eg the Arabian states and their oil of the Far Eastern States and their factories. KK set up a system that benefitted citizens through the nation’s resources. Right now, private business has stripped us of our benefit. GRZ managing mines and other strategic industries presents a better future.
Saudi Aramco is a valid example, I will give you that. Chinese state owned companies always have a private partnership though, same with South Korea and Singapore.
Additionally, if you are being honest with yourself, the PF government cannot and should not be left to handle national assets, I don’t see them being succesful with the corruption and incompetence that plagues the party.
Or are you of the view that PF is not corrupt and has the ability to run the mines? and if so, where do we draw the line, should we then say government should run all the private schools, hospitals, radios, shops, hotels, transport services etc?
That’s the problem with the current political thinking. You cannot detach the ruling party from GRZ-they were democratically voted into office by a majority of Zambians . Those corruption issues are nothing but allegations being cooked by a bitter and inept opposition. MMD left ZCCM-IH a spectator company that held shares and merely waited for dividends some of which were not received due to mines declaring losses despite copper prices being high. The PF GRZ has made it into an active company participating in investment and management-KCM, Kariba Minerals, Kabundi Resources, Investrust Bank, etc. Why haven’t these companies been plundered and fail to operate?? This PF GRZ struck a good deal for CGCZ and ZCCM-IH will 100% own and run Kasenseli mine in Mwinilunga. You need to detach…
….politics from national issues. GRZ is not PF and will exist after PF. Zambia has laws that bind these commercial agreements and GRZ or PF officials wouldn’t be s.t.up!d enough to touch funds in national coffers. Equally, a new generation of managers has emerged like Mabvuto Chipata, Sydney Mupeta etc who are showing they can manage these companies. Laws will draw the line, my man.
Apologies fo a late response. But saying detaching the ruling party from the government is comical, its called ruling party for a reason, the decisions they make as a party clearly drive the government agenda. You say government and PF officials would not touch national assets? How about PF appointing its members of parliament to handle the CEC impase? Or how the PF led government has decided to nationalise without compensation, CEC infrastructure?
And you suppose the gold deal is reasonable too? One can only detach GRZ and the ruling party at their own cost sir.
Mps are elected officials. They are the most democratic and genuine representative of the people of Zambia. An area mp will be required to be present in such national matters. Secondly the SI issued stipulates that the grid will be used on agreement and at a fee, it hasn’t been nationalised. Problem is CEC had no justification to continue supplying power because they didn’t generate any and relied on ZESCO to provide that power!! The ruling party, as democratically and constitutionally elected officials will make decisions on behalf of Zambians at executive level, be it PF, MMD, UNIP, upnd, FDD etc.
SIs are not issued in parliament sir, the minister signs the SI and it becomes law! Additionally, the ministers in any government have policies that align to the party agenda, do you disagree with that?
Whether CEC was simply transmitting power and not generating electricty is not our discusion now, and for all intents and purposes, the company has been nationalised, how can you say we shall continue to use your infrastructure because it has been declared as a mattter of national interest?
Back to the topic at hand, are you advocating for natioal control of alll our assets, and to seemingly abolish private companies? you opt for the government to run the gold mines, and you support the nationalisation of CEC.
With our current laws that allow multinationals to export resources and keep payments abroad, it’s better GRZ runs the mines as those sales will hit Zambian bank accounts. Private companies can run alongside these parastatals. For gold, YES, GRZ MUST RUN THESE MINES SO ALL THE DOLLARS ARE REPATRIATED BACK HOME. I don’t support nationalisation and CEC was not nationalised but have themselves to blame for not investing in generation. GRZ through ZESCO cannot continue giving CEC below cost power after generating and transmitting just because they have distribution lines. CEC should have woken up when Maamba set up in 2008 or so.
We are not wrong to demand for majority shares of the national resources and the proceeds from the same to be reinvested in the country. The issue is that we can’t trust the PF government to be transparent in how they handle affairs, time and again they have failed to be responsible or clear, please ask me to list examples and I will do so.
Let’s say the CEC deal was wrong, it doesn’t warrant taking away the distribution lines, they had to use money to set them up, and mind you, CEC distibution lines are not only in the copperbelt but around the country.
CEC was nationalised, I don’t know why you think it wasn’t.
Those lines are not all over the country, my man. They were the lines owned by ZCCMs Power Division. They just upgraded them. ZESCO owns all the lines in the nation, that’s why it’s appropriate for them to provide the power. Can you imagine how much a transmission line from say, Itezhi tezhi to kitwe costs to set up?? That’s kms of wood, aluminium and copper. Then CEC should get the glory for a 2km line?? Please, Spider, be reasonable my guy….
By the by, I am impressed that we’ve agreed to disagree. That’s mature and that’s the way politics is suppose to work. Let’s do this more often.
One like from me, CEC does own distribution lines outside of the copperbelt, a quick search on the company will yield those results. and yes, i agree that its nice to simply air our views without resorting to name calling or insults. I do thank you for this.