Mwanawasa to launch sugar cane expansion project in Mazabuka

Mwanawasa to launch sugar cane expansion project in Mazabuka
By Henry Chibulu and Chibaula Silwamba
Monday September 17, 2007 [04:00]

PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa is tomorrow expected to officially launch the sugar cane expansion project at Zambia Sugar Company Plc in Mazabuka. But chief Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka district has said the expansion programme is against his will and that of his subjects. According to a programme released to ZANIS by Mazabuka district commissioner Misheck Chiinda, President Mwanawasa will have an aerial view of the Kafue River, Delta Farm, Manyonyo, Chilala, Nanga and Magobbo settlements before landing at Nakambala football ground at 08:00 hours.

Chiinda said Zambia Sugar Company Plc managing director Paul de Robillard would accompany President Mwanawasa during the aerial viewing. President Mwanawasa will then proceed to Kaleya Small Holders by road where he is expected to tour the Sugar cane outgrower scheme before unveiling the project. Zambia Sugar Company Plc has pumped K840 billion into the expansion project which has since gained momentum.

Production of sugar is projected to increase from the current 260,000 metric tonnes to 440,000 metric tonnes due to the additional 10,500 hectares of land under the expansion programme.
Construction of water canals will cover 30 kilometres from the Kafue River, which is the source of water for irrigation for sugar cane. So far the digging of canals has covered a distance of three kilometers while eight kilometres of the bush has been cleared.

But chief Mwanachingwala maintained his opposition of Zambia Sugar Company’s expansion saying it would not benefit his subjects. “The expansion will be against my will and my people. Anyway there is nothing I can do. What can I do as a simple chief?” chief Mwanachingwala asked. “But this expansion is not for the good of the people. There is no local person who will benefit. What do we benefit in Mazabuka? Nothing.”

Asked if he felt betrayed that President Mwanawasa would officiate at the expansion project despite his opposition, chief Mwanachingwala said when agriculture and cooperatives minister Ben Kapita went to visit the expansion area, he Kapita was cheated about the benefits of the project.

“The problem is that when the minister came, I was not there when they were showing him the canal. They cheated him,” chief Mwanachingwala said. “If you ask the people of Mazabuka they will tell you that they have not benefited.”

He complained that Zambia Sugar brings foreign experts and sidelines Zambian experts.
“The problem with Zambia Sugar is that they don’t want any black Zambian to head any department without supervision of a white person,” he observed. “We want some people in management of Zambia Sugar to be Zambians.”

Chief Mwanachingwala said he would not stop fighting for his people. “I’m not happy and my complaint is not properly handled but I will not stop until my subjects benefit from this expansion,” chief Mwanachingwala said. He said sometime back Zambia Sugar had asked for sand from his chiefdom.

“They came to me to get sand and I told them that we should do batter system, ‘get as much sand as you want and I will give you a school so that you adopt it’ but they came back saying the sand is not good. I was surprised because that is the sand everyone in Mazabuka has used to build,” chief Mwanachingwala said. “I didn’t say I want money but that Zambia Sugar helps my subjects.”

When contacted for a comment, Kapita said he was not aware that chief Mwanachingwala was unhappy about the project. “I don’t know anything about that,” said Kapita. Efforts to get a comment from Zambia Sugar Company by press time yesterday proved futile.