SOME youths of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) in Ndola yesterday surrounded and locked up the office of Tazama Pipelines managing director Largeman Muzelenga demanding his removal to pave way for investigations into revelations by the Wynter Kabimba Commission of Inquiry on the alleged loss of K2 trillion in fuel procurement.
The youths led by Ndola Central Constituency youth chairperson Muma Musonda surrounded Tazama House in the central business district in Ndola as early as 07:30 hours and vowed not to allow Mr Muzelenga enter the building.
The Daily Mail crew that rushed to Tazama House found PF youths instructing the secretary to the managing director to lock the office and not to allow him in the office.
The youths entered the building and forced the secretary to lock the door to the MD’s office and demanded for the keys.
However, quick response from the police prevented the youths from seizing the office keys from the secretary.
The police officers later asked the youths to leave the building.
And addressing the youths, Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary Tembo appealed to PF youths not to take the law into their own hands.
Ms Tembo also warned Tazama staff not to remove any files from offices until investigations are concluded.
“Please air your views using the right channels and respect the law. Now that you have aired your views, investigations will be constituted,” she said.
The Wynter Kabimba Commission of Inquiry into the Energy Regulation Board has recommended that former President Rupiah Banda, his son James and some former senior government officials be investigated over the K2 trillion oil procurement losses.
Tazama Pipelines Limited has submitted to Government suggestions for the construction of new loading facilities to double the storage capacity to meet the increasing demand of petroleum products in the country.
And Tazama has also submitted that Government considers relocating residents in the neighbouring Old Regiment township to enhance security around the area.
Tazama director of operations and engineering Majah Kikula said the storage capacity is inadequate to meet the increasing demand for the commodity.
“The storage capacity here is only 10 tanks and that is not enough to meet the increasing demand for petrol and diesel from oil marketing companies,” he said.
Mr Kikula said this during a tour of the fuel terminal by the Parliamentary Committee of Lands, Water and Energy Development in Ndola yesterday.
He said most of the storage facilities are run-down with a lot of leakages since the company took over operations of the terminal in 2007.
Mr Kikula also revealed that in 2010, one of the tanks got perforated on top and rainwater mixed with diesel contaminated more than 200 cubic litres of gas oil.
“We have so far renovated almost all the tanks and the planned construction will help us have enough stocks because at the moment we cannot meet the consumer demand,” Mr Kikula said.
He said a lot of rehabilitation has been undertaken at the terminal and that by September this year, operations will increase.
Mr Kikula said sometimes Tazama and Indeni are subjected to import petrol to meet the high demand of the commodity.
He attributed the increase in demand for the commodity to mining activities and the high number of people acquiring motor vehicles.
And Mr Kikula said some residents of the Old Regiment township are terrorising tanker drivers by draining fuel from the trucks and stealing goods from the truckers.
“This is a restricted area and we applied to Government to have the people living close to Indeni and Tazama to move away. As you can see there are always trucks surrounding this area, so it is not safe to have people living around here,” Mr Kikula said.
And parliamentary committee member James Kapyanga, who is also Kabwe Central member of Parliament, commended the management of Tazama for working hard to meet the increasing demand for petroleum products in the country.
[Daily Mail]
Lawless, failed state in the making. Only one thing to be proud of in the current state of affairs – we can at least say ‘I was there when it all started to unravel’!
Vigilantes!
“Please air your views using the right channels and respect the law. Now that you have aired your views, investigations will be constituted,” she said.
So Mary agrees that Occupying by PF youths is right channel, if they did take action no investigation would have been constituted. So who is next PF-Police Youths?
Yet no one was arrested. This is lawlessness. Stupid cadres.
What is the role of party youths in Zambia? Are they paid for such actions??? For the sake of peace only policers should be take such action under instructions from their surpervisor.
Lekeni ukwiba oilo
They are simply exerting their authority like kabimba advised the party cadres.Kosadabwa!
Had the Police instituted investigations in light of the commission of inquiries findings, they could have been seen as being proactive. However, now that they intend to initiate investigations as a consequence of PF cadres who encroached on the law, they are being reactive as they prove to have bowed to pressure. Has it ever occurred to them why people have lost faith in the various arms of law enforcement? All the police has remained to be is a tool of oppression and suppression
THIS IS RUBISH WHEN DID THE CARDERS BECOME POLICE OFFICERS
The police are right in this matter…we cant have a country of lawlessness…the youth have every right to protest…using the right channels…
Party youths and cadres. I hate them guys. A youth aged 41? Are they even a legal entity?
Summer Kabimba is extremely daft. The so called K2 trillion in question is actually an ‘opportunity cost’ or rather a loss which Govt incurred by refusing to adjust pump prices upwards over the period in question. It’s a subsidy which was meant to shield the consumer from escalating international oil prices. Interesting to see what criminal charges will be brought against the technocrats and politicians involved?
Shame,the Police are helpless.
While we appreciate the vigilance and activeness of the youths,their actions should be condemned in strongest terms.they should give it time and avoid actions that make the issue prejudicial before the investigation is commenced.A recommendation was made and the right wings will investigate and if turns out the loss was due to fraud or will default then we can see possible adjudication .
that’s what happens when you empower kabovas
I shudder to think what the next four years will be like.Really if immigration policies were easy in other countries I would have left Zambia and come back in 2016.How much drama can one put up with? The Presidents outbursts,Fred Membe who thinks he owns the courts, withdrawing a claim of 14 billion without any basis, donation of fuel and providing transport cost at the expense of i.e Chilanga Hospice that need 20 million to continue its operation and the latest topping on the cake having cadres doing the job of the police and other invetigative wings.God Almighty spare us from this insanity
This is anarchy of the highest order. The PF thieves broke the law and should have been arrested if ZP was not partisan. Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary Tembo appealed to PF youths not to take the law into their own hands.
Ms Tembo also warned Tazama staff not to remove any files from offices until investigations are concluded. Tembo speaks like a cadre.
stupid youth what is that going to do for you
they need to channel all that energy to self development
looking so impouverished, losses are part of any business
No wonder a number of foreigners now refer to Zambia as a failed State.
I have never, never, never, anywhere in the whole world. Weird, Weird, weird——-indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!