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Privatisation turned our lives upside down – Ex Mansa Workers

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Former workers of Mansa Batteries and Kawambwa Tea Estates said the closure of companies after privatisation turned their lives upside down and have since called on Government to consider re-entry and acquisition of the Mansa Battery factory which lies in a dilapidated state.

And Ms Chrispin Sikombe, a widow who worked at Mansa Batteries described privatisation as a sickness which sent their loved ones to early graves but also destroyed families in Mansa.
The workers and their families who marched along the streets of Mansa to the provincial administration complained of being owed K8,311,609.12 in terminal benefits since the closure of Mansa Batteries by its new owners after the State-owned company was sold off.

“We worked for State-owned industries from our Province with pride. These industries sustained our livelihoods. We lived our lives with hope that even in old age, we would enjoy the benefits of having worked for these companies but the opposite is true because of the manner These key industries were privatised,” said group chairperson Emmanuel Mwale.

The former workers said they support calls for to probe the manner in which Mansa Batteries, Kawambwa Estates, Mununshi Estates and other state-owned companies were privatised.

“We need a probe into the privatisation and closure of State-owned companies. The Commission of Inquiory will help Government to know where were responsible for the plunder of national assets. We support the re take-over of companies that were not properly privatised, without following the law”

And Ms Sikombe said privatisation of our companies turned most of workers into beggars while many families disintegrated. She tearfully called on President Lungu to never back down but inquire into the privatisation cancer for the sake of learning vital lessons.

“Our only hope now rests with President Lungu to help us survive through empowering us in any way he deems it fit so we can live dignified lives. We don’t want to be beggars,” She said.

90 COMMENTS

    • Nyimbili Sullen ba Sir namukwate nsambu pantu tamwalebomba ku Mansa batteries, ifwe fwebalebombako nifwe twasaluka bane…we are the definition of the negative impact of privtisation. Umuchele ukufina untu ausendele…ukulandachalyankuka ukuchila ulubomba ba Sullen.

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    • Nyimbili Sullen Nachishiba ati tamwaikalepofye mwalayasuka ….. Privtisation yalibaba ba director wesu so apa ichilipo, tulefwayakofye ifishinka twishibe ……pantu abaali kuntanshi ilya nshita ba mayo bana Edith Nawakwi balilandako limo ilyashi…” Bali mwitile pambali nokumwipusha ukuti bushe uyu umtengo ulibwino?? ” Atile ati ulibyo kabutu….nafimbipo fintu basokolwele ba Edith ….ukupitila muli fyonse fyo , tuletila kwaliko ubuchenjeshi nabukaitemwe ….mukuputule lyashi lyonse …..Tuletasha his excellence bakateka abaumfwa idandaulo lyabantu uku bapampamike commission of enquiry iyalatwafwako mukwishiba ifishinka.

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  1. So now what do you want us to do for you demonstrators. Once water is lost on the ground, we can not take it back.

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  2. This brings tears to my eyes. What is more annoying is fact that the man who is responsible for their destitute is freely roaming around like a boy racer organising convoys. Bring on the inquiry.

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  3. These are complaints demonstrators should have addressed to their son of the soil when he was alive. It’s too late now, FTJC is not around to answer these complicated queries.

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  4. Just find something better to do than being paraded by politicians who are already eating more than 5 meals a day. Whenever they are driving their cars they are loaded with drinks, chips and chicken. They stop at every takeaway to buy food while you are being scotched by the sun.

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  5. HH had nothing to do for Mansa Batteries.
    HH will be crucified for nothing, and none, and I repeat, NO ONE will get a ngwee from “Privatization Inquire”.

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  6. Blame your ancestors for your ignorance and poverty.

    The much needed inquiry is how the Eurobonds and other debts were acquired and spent.

    Don’t be fooled around by these PF dogs who are time wasters.

    Give a chance to your Bally and my Bally to fix the economy and inequities.

    People like Kangaroo Zoo (KZ) must be ignored at all times nothing good comes out of his foul mouth.

    PF must go!

  7. Poor materially,financially and poorly informed!! Ask Nawakwi who she sold Mansa batteries to!! You sound mistaken that your protests will bring your money! Be courageous and ask those using you to pay you,your money !

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  8. Look for something else to do than being used like toilet tissue paper by politicians. Let not poverty over shadow our brains to an extent of being used in evil schemes . Go and raise Dr Fredrick Titus chiluba and ask him why he privatized companies in Zambia.

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  9. There is no need to waste time about commissioning the inquiry of Privatization because we know that the MMD government did that. The MMD former ministers can give reasons why they privatized the companies. They are responsible to answer any query if they applied due diligence or not. Even if they did not sell some of those industries, many of those industries would have died ” a natural death” because they were losses making companies, therefore, workers could have lost jobs. President Lungu has a lawyer and educated person should not entertain foolishness, but explain to the public what happened than blaming an innocent person HH. Hon Nawakwi and other former ministers were the last people who made final decisions.

  10. Ask those kids to how old there were when this privatization took place . Those kids were not even born and are now in front of privatization. Njala yaku nyokolani ka

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  11. But poverty is really a bad thing and that’s why it should be fought against at all costs because it can make you to stop thinking. When President Chiluba was still alive these people never protested about Privitisation and yet he was the one in charge of the same Privitisation program. So today they’re being used by people that have stolen from them and are further using them to advance their selfish agenda. Poverty is really a dangerous disease!

  12. They want govt to open it. We are not a socialist state you guys from Luapula. If you feel its valuable to operate the battery factory in Mansa team up and open the factory and you will be reach forever that’s capitalism economy. We citizens must run the economy not govt.

  13. Bulimi bwakale…. Bane you can’t keep crying over spilt milk. A lot other people including myself and hubby benefited from the same privatisation you are crying about. We bought a beautiful flat in parklands at 1thousand( rebased) in our twenties. Besudes, where were you all these years for you to start crying about this now?

  14. This is shameful. Zambia is a failed country. Those industries were a drain of resources. Why did you get rid of Kaunda? Wasn’t it because you failed to run those industries? Now, Lungu is cheating this time.

  15. This is shameful. Zambia is a failed country. Those industries were a drain of resources. Why did you get rid of Kaunda? Wasn’t it because you failed to run those industries? Now, Lungu is cheating you this time.

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