Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) Feira Member Of Parliament Emmanuel Tembo has welcomed the decision by the government to allow mining operations to continue in the lower Zambezi National Park.
Mr. Tembo has cited the potential economic benefits that the mining operations will spur in the area which has lagged behind in development for a very long time.
Speaking in a press conference in Lusaka yesterday, Mr. Tembo said that the entire population of Luangwa district including the area chiefs are in support of the decision because they understand that the development will have a positive impact on their lives.
Mr. Tembo noted that government is on record of having affirmed that the mining operations will be conducted under strict adherence to environmental standards based on the latest environmental impact assessment report.
Mr. Tembo said that the proposed mining site is located 40 kilometers away from the Zambezi river hence the arguments by some stakeholders that it is a threat to the environment are baseless.
Speaking at the same event, Luangwa Royal Establishment Foundation Chairperson Joseph Felemenga said that the surrounding districts will also benefit from the project once it takes off.
Mr. Felemenga has called on the government not to listen to propaganda that is being sponsored by a clique of foreign interests some of whom are not even genuine investors.
He has since committed to following up with Mwembeshi resources who are the investors to ensure that they adhere to the environmentally friendly measures in conducting the mining operations as announced by the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment.
Yes financial benefits in short term…. but what about long term?
TYPICAL PF SHORT SIGHTEDNESS
Dunderhead no wonder PF will soon be history…this makaka probably wants a Ministerial post in UPND…the only time Politicians work as a team is when they’re stealing tax payers money
This is so cheap coming from a minister. Mr Minister your so called environmental impact assessment you want to rely on is so shallow and open to manipulation. Even if the investors adheres to the assessment the environment will not in a bit be saved. In western countries, just constructing a road demands to account for and remove almost all flora and fauna to safety. That’s how stringent adhering to the environmental impact assessment is. But this is not the case in developing countries. The law is so weak investors almost always gets away with anything. Don’t be so shortsighted as to sell away your heritage for a song. Your natural environment is so priceless.
This is how shallow some leaders can think. Only focusing on financial resources that they perceive will come with the mining but can’t see that the long-term costs are much more than that little money that will trickle in
This is typical PF mindset always looking at the short term unsustainable benefits..we are in heavy debt back to IMF assistance because of such useless people, why can you not do the same with tourism how can you support something you will not even share 2% of the profit all tax will go to central govt and all profits will go to the investor, there is no policy or law in Zambia for the investor to contribute social tax to the area. Go to CB and see the damage to the environment.
Nabilungu – What article are you reading …where is the minister in this article?
Ati mining will be 40ks away from the Zambezi river hence the threats to the environment are baseless what is 40 km?? These are activities that have to be done thousands of miles away from rivers , game parks and settlements … this is 3rd degree insanity is this thinking or sinking zoona?? I don’t think this guy understands he’s unpatriotic and a disgraceful creature. Our leaders please be nationalistic in character
#8 He has no idea what mining is all about.
Sight – The man has absolutely no idea what machinery is involved in an open pit mine and the chiefs ignorantly think their subjects will be trained up to drive those mammoth earth mover trucks…he doesnt know that only a few people in CB and RSA are qualified enough to drive them.
#9 &10 – i conquer with you -he’s completely blank only dwelling on one side forgetting the devastating consequences of the other…i believe a radius of 40km can be affected.
Explain why mining should not be done and what benefits have accrued to the country from the lower zambezi
The MP is embarrassing……….
If locals can’t get jobs in the tourist area , what makes him think the people will get jobs from the mine ????
Useless MP………..
Instead of leveraging the game parks to benefit his people who voted for him….
He wants to decimate the game park ???
Does anything sensible come from PF?, Zambia is where we are because PF destroyed our nation without any plan. If Zambians knew what they know now about PF, Zambia would have been way a head in development under late president Mwanawasa.
This is what we call being clueless by the MP…………..
No brains whatsoever ever……unless he has shares in that mine………..
Ati because locals are not benefitting, let’s get rid of the game park………
Leverage the game park to benefit the people , you dundda head…….
Our hungry Chiefs are a disgrace just look at how the abused the land sales to the the Chinks after showing them $100,000 in a briefcase …reminds me of the teachings in that 1965 novel by prolific Kenyan author Ng?g? wa Thiong’o that was published as part of the influential African Writers Series; The River Between.
But honest speaking guys, what do national parks really benefit Zambians? Be practical! We don’t need all this jungle, we can surely halve it and benefit our people. You all seem to be talking from lack of “Thinking outside the box”. Let take for instance tourism in Livingston’s, what does this contribute to our GDP? Almost nothing as all the profits get deposited into South African or British dollar accounts. But u fools are busy priding yourselves falsely ey Vic Falls , Our pride. You ve no Vic falls in Zambia- you don’t own it. But tour operators do. Who happen to own all the hotels in the tourism sector(them too their account are overseas in which customers deposit to). So why mulesabaila imwe?
Tourism in Zambia is non Zambia owned, so when we talk of national parks and heritage sites,the people talking here are all Black but go on these sites and see who is charging you entrance-whites and few foreign blacks. So what are u guys yapping abt? Esp South Luangwa & Lower Zambezi, the story is worse there. Boers & colonists have taken all that strip all the way down to Vic falls through Lake Kariba. Black pepper get short here just for fishing kapenta for their children. It’s all been fenced by London &Johannesburg barbed wire.
Mr step-aside, your comments border on racism. Any business operating in Zambia whether local or foreign is Zambian.
#17 Step Aside-Silently
February 6, 2022 At 5:35 pm
“Tourism in Zambia is non Zambia owned, so when we talk of national parks and heritage sites,the people talking here are all Black but go on these sites and see who is charging you entrance-whites and few foreign blacks. So what are u guys yapping abt? Esp South Luangwa & Lower Zambezi, the story is worse there. Boers & colonists have taken all that strip all the way down to Vic falls through Lake Kariba. Black pepper get short here just for fishing kapenta for their children. It’s all been fenced by London &Johannesburg barbed wire. ”
So if you can’t leverage your resources as in game parks………..
What makes you think you can leverage a mine ???
Already the mines you have are all forigne owned……….
Remember this name Emmanuel Tembo so that we show him the door in 2026 like others before him who we shunted into oblivion whereby even their names are forgotten.
The MP is very okay, there are no benefits with the current tourism arrangement, all the blank chaps commenting above and castigating the MP are as blank as stone. We NEED that mine like yesterday….
If you’re zambian at core you will be against this project- we all know how lucrative these minerals are but the proceeds have not come back to benefit any one just look at the state of the infrastructure the roads which transport the same minerals.
Cheap Zambian politics. When in opposition oppose everything the government decides to do. Thats why I hate democracy
#22 Sight
February 6, 2022 At 8:18 pm
“If you’re zambian at core you will be against this project- we all know how lucrative these minerals are but the proceeds have not come back to benefit any one just look at the state of the infrastructure the roads which transport the same minerals…”
Absolutely correct……..
Better to leave something for future generations and try to improve our ownership on the already vast wealth of minerals being currently mined……..
Already we just found out that a very rare minerals is being clandestinely mined as exposed by a UPND MP without Zambians knowing………
#22 Sight
February 6, 2022 At 8:18 pm
“If you’re zambian at core you will be against this project- we all know how lucrative these minerals are but the proceeds have not come back to benefit any one just look at the state of the infrastructure the roads which transport the same minerals…”
Absolutely correct……..
Better to leave something for future generations and try to improve our ownership on the already vast wealth of minerals being currently mined……..
Already we just found out that a very rare minerals is being secretly mined as exposed by a UPND MP without Zambians knowing………
Why are you even giving this f001 a platform
This country has gone to the dogs
Honourable Sir and all those supporting mining activities in the Lowere Zambezi, please, spare the Lower Zambezi from mining activities. The radius of 40 km from the proposed mining site is a very short distance when it comes to animal and bird migration. They will be permanently displaced.
My painful observation and experience on the Copperbelt is that as a Miner’s child, mining offers a very short term of joy and has lasting destruction on natural resources and the lives of people. The same is said of coal mining areas, or any other MINING ACTIVITIES anywhere in the world.
Invest in conservation and empower the locals to earnestly earn from nature.