CHIEF Government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni says Government does not support plans by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to lay off 2,000 permanent workers.
Speaking when he featured on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Kwacha Good Morning Zambia programme in Kitwe yesterday, Mr Sakeni said Government will not encourage investors to start laying off workers.
“Our stance as Government is that we are not going to encourage companies to start laying off workers. Of course people in business go for profit but this should be amicably discussed between KCM, the unions and Government.
“Government cannot support the issue of laying off workers at this critical moment because we have a policy of creating jobs for our people,” he said.
Mr Sakeni, who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said KCM may have its own reasons to lay off workers from a business point of view but that the matter should be amicably resolved through dialogue by all stakeholders.
KCM has announced that it plans to lay off 2,000 permanent workers across all its operations because of the downward trend of the price of copper at the London Metal Exchange from US$9,000 per tonne to an average of US$7,000.
Meanwhile, Mr Sakeni says Government is dismayed at the hypocrisy displayed by politicians like People’s Party president Mike Mulongoti on funding for parliamentary by-elections.
Mr Sakeni said Mr Mulongoti, who at one time served as a member of Parliament and Cabinet minister, should desist from deliberately misleading citizens on straightforward issues.
Mr Sakeni said this in a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday.
“The current Constitution provides that a by-election is held within 90 days when a vacancy occurs for an elected member of Parliament,” he said.
Mr Sakeni said people have a right to be represented in Parliament at all times, as per law established.
He said parliamentary by-elections are a constitutional expenditure and obligation which are unforeseen and unavoidable.
Mr Sakeni said the question of illegal funding for by-elections does not arise.
“In any case, by-elections have been part of the Zambian political culture for years immemorial.
“Since when has funding for such a constitutional activity been illegal as is being insinuated now? Why was it legal then and illegal now?” the minister wondered.
Mr Sakeni reiterated Government’s commitment to promoting good governance, the rule of law and prudent management of public resources for the betterment of all Zambians.
Mulongoti sure is an hypocrite who cant even understand our current constitution. Zambians stop forming useless political parties whenever you become jobless, because most of these mushrooming political parties are waste of time to the development of our country.
When i warned about what was going to happen with the copper price i was laughed at…
Zambia is going to have a tuff time and will even fail to pay back the EURO Bond. Increase copper production worldwide is going to reach peak production in 2016 and copper prices will hit US$6000.
Don’t say i never warned you
Mr Sakeni, don’t just tell us you are against, tell us your options as government , because eventually these jobs will go and we won’t eat your mouth! Being sorry and pitying will not put food on the table, THINK!!!
Well Mr Minister, why don’t we absorb them into Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia?
You reap what you sow. If you plant hostility measures you reap hostility measures.
This crisis could have been avoided if the late President Mwanawasa had done the right thing when Anglo pull out of KCM. The whole deal with Vendatta still smells of corruption. I propose that the President institutes a probe on how KCM was sold to these good for nothing investors
EK1. Do you remember who dealt with the legal issues on that deal and made quite a bit of bucks? Here is a clue. He has now formed a political party and recently went for a carnival.
@Tropicana. Yes I do. But you should remember that the whole process was being overseen by state house. For me thats where that buck stops.
I think KCM doesn’t want to pay tax.They want to leave the country.U can’t fire 2,000 skilled workers.who is going to remain?These whites sometimes don’t want 2 pay anything in Africa.They come here 2 make money.When u tell them to pay tax,they wanna run way.And the problem here is monitoring system govt want to put in place in order to monitor how much $s these guys sent in their own foreign land.Sad indeed with such investors.
Come you Sakeni.There is nothing wrong with what KCM wants to do.All companies tries to find ways of trying to stay afloat.If laying off 2000 workers is the only way that can help the company to sustain itself then there is no problem.I see no reason why KCM should be forced to keep those workers if they are not serving the company any purpose.It is sad but sh*t happens.
Bloody Indians!
they will do that to protect their investments my friend,call them names,its their money.this govt needs to have solutions
corperate image -kcm super division-paying zambian coach-free eye screening in shanty compounds like kapoto;buchi etc kcm wawa be like mopani which is doing some roads in kitwe,imwe ba mwenye ba nsamya mwa wa
Politician are just there to eat our money,feed their families and enjoying life at the expense of the majority,So their talk will just end on paper.vendetta owns the mine,its their investments and they can choose when to employ and when to lay off people,,,these politician will do nothing at all..its hurts.
“KCM is in business”, says Sakeni. So? You expect them to be controlled by Government ‘forces’ or Market forces? These are hard facts of Capitalism, shape up or shut up! Subsidize or un subsidize! Stay afloat or stay bloated! By removing subsidies on fuel and mealie meal, Government is showing the way and KCM has simply answered to the logics of Government’s adherence of market forces in the removal of subsidies. And now you expect them subsidize 2000 + mouths? No ways!