Magoye Member of Parliament, Ben Mweemba has denied claims by some sections of society in Mazabuka in Southern Province that the multi million Sugar cane plantation project by an Indian investor which is still in the pipeline has been rejected by subjects of Chief Mwanachingwala.
Mr Mweemba told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that the claims should be dismissed because they lacked merit and were bent on frustrating the investment.
According to Mazabuka Town Clerk, Shree Renuka Company of India will pump in US$ 200 million in the construction of a modern factory which is likely to be the biggest in Africa and construct irrigation facilities, water canals and employ 6,000 workers on permanent basis.
The company is a largest fuel ethanol producer in India with a 20 percent market share.
The MP said he wondered why some named high handed politicians were bent on opposing developmental programmes meant to benefit the ordinary people instead of offering support.
Mr Mweemba also questioned why the same group of people who opposed the opening of Albidon Mine were now misleading people about the Sugarcane project which will not be built in their constituencies.
He said it is time people graduated from politicising development programmes whose aim was to reduce poverty among people in rural areas and enhance the economic status of the district.
Mr Mweemba also dismissed claims that people will be displaced.
He explained that no one will be evicted from his or her land because people will be engaged as outgrowers.
”This project will not be built in Mazabuka town but right in the villages, so where is the problem because ordinary people will be co-opted in the outgrowers scheme. No one will be displaced and people will be given an opportunity to voluntarily surrender land contrary to claims by some sections of society that people will be evicted,” said Mr Mweemba.
He added that what is surprising was the fact that the group basing its claims on wrong facts about the project.
” The wetland issue is history for goodness sake. the project will be implemented from Village one to Seven but am aware that we only have a problem with village three where a few villagers who were fighting Chief Mwanachingwala during the Mwanachingwala Conservation Area era live, so that cannot change the decision of the majority,” said Mr Mweemba.
Mr Mweemba has warned that he will not hesistate to expose politicians with selfish motives allegedly inciting villagers to reject the project which will see the creation of 6,000 permanent jobs.
Yesterday, Prince Mutelo Himanje told ZANIS that people in Chief Mwanachingwala have rejected the project and have since signed a petition to that effect although he failed to produce the petition by press time.
Prince Mutelo who had difficulties in explaining the areas affected however, said people were opposed to the project because they will be denied an opportunity to keep animals.
And Chief Mwanachingwala has maintained that dialogue has continued between his subjects and their village headmen over the project.
” I have brought the investor because l want poverty to reduce in my Chiefdom. This project is for my subjects l am not going to benefit but of course I will in one way or another,” said Chief Mwanachingwala.
And Chief Mwanachingwala has clarified the earlier statement issued by Mazabuka Town Clerk that, the Chief had accompanied him to India to sign a memorandum of understanding.
He explained that he ( Chief Mwanachingwala ) was accompanied by Town Clerk, Ekan Chingangu and Mayor, Edmund Cheelo.
”Am the one who took Chingangu and Cheelo,” said Chief Mwanachingwala.
ZANIS/ENDS/HC/CLM
It’s a weekend and all bloggers are out of office. This shows how many hours Zambians waste on this blog instead of being productive in their work places.
Is there any broad band in Zambia?
you also go home you are scared of your wife
I wish i knew your country #1. I would have reponded to you adequately. You have a serious misconception of other countries like my Zambia.
For your information, most of us blog at our homes and not in our employers’ offices.
Good on you mwanachingwalans who are critical of such investment. there is no way investors will develop an area and bring the sort after progress. look the mines on the copperbelt and solwezi who is benefiting? plse ensure that agrements are signed as to what is going to be done. let the MP guide the constituents and not go behind their backs to negotiate a deal at their expense. Katuyaa nochiisi nkotuli kunno andinywe!!!
Viva Munenga oh yee!!!
#1 ni inferiority complex or ni chani, yes there is broadband in zambia and most of us access our internet at home because in addition we have 3G technology, so just talk about sugar not vama broadband apa.
#5. Ati 3G? Please tell me more. Who is providing that service? CellZ? I’ve also heard that celtel got 3G but I cant find any information on there website.
#3 right on the button!!!!!!!!!!! Walasa!!!!!
Zulu 83 waba wa ku chipata atase. Anyhow MTN is providing the service my friend! Celtel is also providing the service, but out of principle I have vowed never to have anything to do with Celtel.
How about the Chambeshi river in Northern Province it’s just going to waste why cant they make those plantations that side
#9 thats a point, we have natural wetlands along this river, aroung Tuta bridge, but you will hear what the so called GREEN PEACE movements are going to to say?
Mwiinga you are dumb and you don’t even know what 3G is. MTN only offers GPRS WAP, even here in the SA where they come from, MTN’s 3G reception is very poor. 3G means 3rd generation super fast internet of not less than 3600kbps that allows face-to-face video calls and steam live TV on your cellphone, not that 115kbps you are using.
By far, Vodacom SA(the one I’m using) provides the best 3G reception on the continent.
#9, Kapaso ‘wa mfumu’, Something about sugar from the North; there is Kalungwishi estate in kasama. They produce about 2000M/tones per year. You are right the Chambeshi can be harnessed. Mbala already produces a lot of sugar canes from isoko-chief Tafuna area, and Saise rivers; then somewhere kwa Mushota in Kawambwa are a lot of sugarcanes and so is Chinsali’s outlining areas (cheeck etym of name: cisali-sugar cane).The list can be endless. The point is that, viability and possible outgrower activities are almost obvious given the the existing knowledge. Sugar industry can be another mainstay economic activity for our country.(click on kasama sugar for more infor)