President Edgar Lungu says a decision has been made to pay miners at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) in the Copperbelt province their terminal benefits.
President Lungu said when he addressed miners at Mopani Copper Mine in Kitwe today that unions should quickly submit the total amount needed to pay workers so that funds can be released.
President Lungu said the miners will be paid for all the years they worked for Glencore Limited so that they start on a newer page, assuring them that the monies to pay them are already in place.
President Lungu said there is already a precedent that was used at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Chingola which should also be used at Mopani.
The Head of State said the miners at Mopani Copper Mines should be treated the same way as their counterparts at KCM.
“We are going to sit down with our colleagues the unions and management so that we source for money to pay you our people as soon as possible,” he said.
President Lungu has also assured the miners of the land which is on western side of the South Ore Body (SOB) that it will be given to them so that they can build houses.
The President said since the board had already made a decision to give land to employees, management and the local authorities should plan and allocate pieces of land to the employees.
President Lungu was responding to concerns by Mine Workers Union of Zambia president Joseph Chewe that miners at Mopani in Kitwe and Mufulira have waited for their money for too long and that President Lungu should intervene.
The other issue that the MUZ president raised was the outstanding loans with Stanbic bank which President Lungu said he will discuss with the Bank of Zambia.
Mr. Chewe also called for the abolishment of contracts in the mining sector so that employees can be engaged on a permanent basis.
He said President Lungu’s decision to allow Zambians to operate the mines will live on for many generations to come.
This man has no shame at all.
The President in action!! Well done ECL. Man of action…. we are with you your exellency 2021 and beyond
THE MAN KEEPS ON WITH HIS ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT
Tafyabombe
“Empowerment” or “bribing” in its purest and most corrupt form, less than one month before the election. You are really the most unproductive and incompetent shameless president this country has ever had! Those miners should REFUSE that dirty money, money from THEFT! PF: Lying about everything, not delivering anything!
And those miners probably don’t realize that the money they’re getting is only a fraction of what they actually should be getting: the value of the Kwacha has HALVED ever since this totally incompetent and corrupt president has been in power, and food prices have exploded five times over, so the miners just get 10% of what they really should get! PF: Lying about everything, not delivering anything!
With less than a month to elections he suddenly remembers the miners….how considerate. Also be sure to pay the pensioners on your way out.
Okay bushe bayupndead ni benefit yobe or yanyoko?
Robing Peter to pay Paul that is dull Lazy Lungu type of economics
“The other issue that the MUZ president raised was the outstanding loans with Stanbic bank which President Lungu said he will discuss with the Bank of Zambia.”
Really laughable Lazy Lungu will be writing off loans now when he can not even make EUROBOND coupon repayments of $42 million
Thank you. You have a big heart my president. Those workers come from all tribes and support different parties. You are a man of substance. Thank you
Thank you your Excellency, you’re very kind n humble.
Ka date of payment ba Presido kaili – atishani ukko?
Olo munali kubbwetuka bbwetuka Chabe- your normal daily hallucinations?
UBUKOPE at its highiest order.. where is he going to get the money to pay them. He failed to pay doctors benefits and his government fails to remit money they detect from civil servant salaries to financial institutions. Ukusabaila
Desperate campaign gimmicks. The man has also been wandering around mixing with marketeers during this campaign. Less than 4 weeks before the elections and the opposition are banned from doing the same? The opposition should come out strongly and call out this fraud of a ‘leader’.
WHAT ARE THE LIKES OF TARINO YELLOW – JAUNDICED BLOGGERS REALLY COMPLAINING OF OR HAVE THEY BEEN SUCKER-PUNCHED BY ECL?
BECAUSE COME AUGUST 13 HE WILL BE BACK IN STATE HOUSE WHILE THEY CONTINUE GNASHING THEIR TEETH TO THE GUMS.
Still have not paid then or given them land upto now ????
Shameless pack of lies ……
#12, Stannic Bank will be taken over. First act will be to use all cash to pay miners and look for another cash cow. Then comes 2026 with nobody wants to stand for presidency of a broke country.
Last minute enticements won’t work. Miners, and then civil servants. Debt swap for civil servants! Since when does Government do this for their workers? Vote wisely. The vote is secret. Don’t ever forget that
I DOUBT ANOTHER EMPTY ELECTION PROMISE
AND ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE NO DOUBT
AND WHEN WILL THEY BE PAID ????????????????
It’s not August 12 yet. Those miners haven’t been paid yet! Edgar China Lungu probably means August 12 in 2026!
Shameless Shameless Edgar Lungu and his PF Criminal Enterprise of a Government .
With 4 weeks before the Elections, that’s when their Desperate Plight has come to your Attention.
This is too little too late ,it’s like trying to Fatten Cows a day before the Slaughter.Why don’t you also find money to repay Doctors & Council Workers.
Out on the Campaign Trail ,when the Opposition are BANNED from doing the Same .
People go out & Fight for a Level Playing Field
The country is heading to hyperinflation.
Mopani as a company is still there how do you give terminal benefits?
This is destroying the country.
QUICKLY PAY THEM BEFORE ELECTIONS SO THAT THEY CAN VOTE FOR US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND IF IT WASNT ELECTIONS WOULD YOU STILL PAY THEM ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
The mines will be ever grateful to you sir. Thanks for the concern and care sir.
Now it is for the unions to submit the necessary documents, sooner the better. It will help the miners.
Does anyone know anything about Saturnia Regna Pension Fund? What has happened to the BP pensioners? They are still waiting for their legitimate dues!
The coward supporters of a coward leader calling names to the President who is working round the clock for the country. Are these people afraid of revealing their true identity or ashamed of their name?
Very good decision Mr President. Thank you for caring for one of the most hardworking section of the society. God bless you.
That is the end of HH and UPND. Now I can tell one thing surely, that HH can’t win August 12 elections.
Why are you so eager to expose yourself? We know you are UPND surrogate. By the way, how much do you get paid for each comment? Hope HH pays you well.
I can understand your pain. I am enjoying it also. I can see the agony you are going through because something good is happening to the miners. This is one more nail in the UPND coffin.
I can understand your agony. Your master HH is losing every chance of even going close to 30% votes. You are bound to react like this. No matter how you react and what you say, the miners know that they are in for a major relief.
Who are you boss? You are a coward hiding behind a fake id, afraid of revealing your identity. You think you are doing a great job criticising ECL? If you have balls, come here with real name, then I will show you.