Kitwe Chamber of Commerce President Pleads with Government revive KCM and Mopani

Kitwe District Chamber of Commerce President Emmanuel Mbambiko has pleaded with the government to facilitate the revival of Mopani Copper Mines and Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in the Copperbelt Province.

Speaking at the 10th Zambia International Mining, Energy Conference and Exhibition (ZIMEC) in Kitwe, Mr. Mbambiko told Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe that the Government should restore sanity at Mopani Copper Mines and Konkola Copper Mines.

The veteran chartered accountant said the business community in Kitwe district is affected by the dormant mine operations at KCM and Mopani.

“Honourable Minister with your colleagues in government bearing in mind that mining never dies, it is just postponed. We of the business community are of the view that the postponement that we have had particularly with the two big players in the Copperbelt must be accelerated. I think that postponement if possible we are saying as a business community please see if that postponement can be reduced. If we can methodically quickly reduce the postponement for us in the Copperbelt because we would like to see the mining sector set free so that we can participate and get involved in the activities of the mining. Therefore, we have two big boys in the Copperbelt that at the moment are firing as they ought and we are saying that the postponement in the two mining giants must be accelerated. I am thinking of the big boys like Mopani. We want to begin accessing the activities in that mine. The mine in Chingola (KCM),” Mr. Mbambiko said.

Mr. Mbambiko said the mining sector in Zambia still has a long life span.

He said claims suggesting that minerals were depleting in Zambia were not true arguing that mining never ends.

“I remember something I read a few years ago. Almost about 18 years ago. I was reading a magazine and boom, here was an expression from someone who said ‘ mining in Africa never dies, it is just postponed. And it is something I have been thinking about for some time that mining in Africa never dies and I thought I must refine it and in refining it I thought having travelled a little bit in countries where mining has been held, I have discovered that after all wherever mining activities have been held, mining never dies it is just postponed. For 62 years we have been told mining activities are coming to an end and for 62 years I have seen and confirmed that mining actually never dies, you just have to postpone mining. Otherwise, we would have closed shop a long time ago. We have countless testimonies of the existence of mines. The Mopani Mine where we sit and I can see the Mopani CFO here and I’m sure if I had to ask him: how many years does your mine have? He would give me an account that, look at Emmanuel in Mufulira, the guys that have done some exploration have said there are still more 20 years to go in Mufulira. Now when those who are in the study of rocks like Dr Godwin Beene tell me 20 years,” he said.

Mr. Mbambiko said the business community sees plenty of opportunities in the local mining sector.

“You will confirm that mining never ends, it is just postponed. I want us to sing that song that mining never ends, it is just postponed. Now having laid that foundation before us, colleagues, I think I stand on firm ground to invite us as business people to see with an Eagle’s eye which bream we must catch, which bream of fish we must catch out in these all mining activities. In other words, there are still plenty of opportunities in mining. In other words we can’t talk about retirement in mining. The best we can do is to talk about re-firement instead of retirement, we just have to re-fire. And to re-fire therefore means that we have to plead on behalf of our member as a chamber Honourable Minister with your colleagues in government,” Mr. Mbambiko said.