Maravi

Chief accuses Zambia Sugar managers of being pompous

Chief accuses Zambia Sugar managers of being pompous
By Justine Kawisha in Mazabuka and Fridah Zinyama in Lusaka
Wednesday June 11, 2008 [04:00]

CHIEF Mwanachingwala of the Tonga people of Mazabuka district has accused Zambia Sugar Plc management of being pompous in their dealings with government leaders. And ZAMBIA Consumer Association (ZACA) executive secretary Muyunda Ililonga said the government is not doing enough to resolve the sugar situation in the country as it had not allowed other players to import the commodity.

Reacting to finance minister Ng'andu Magande's complaints on Radio Mazabuka yesterday during Face the media programme, over Zambia Sugar management's failure to welcome him and attend the fundraising dinner for Mazabuka Radio station, chief Mwanachingwala said it was an insult for Zambia Sugar management to ignore Magande's presence in the Zambia Sugar estate where the function was being held.

"Zambia sugar is pompous because 90 per cent of the company shares are owned by the Illovo group who are foreigners,” he said.

Chief Mwanachingwala said he was very disappointed with Zambia Sugar management for shunning the function, which was officiated by the country's senior minister.
He disclosed that Zambia Sugar even refused to offer Magande accommodation giving an excuse that the rooms were fully booked at the time the minister went to request for accommodation.

"No one forced the company to donate to the radio station and it is better to welcome the minister and attend the function even when they cannot pledge anything," he said. "How would you feel if you went to someone's home and that person runs away from you? It's an insult suggesting that you are nothing to him."

Chief Mwanachingwala said he always quarrelled with Zambia Sugar management over their disrespect for government officials and workers. He said he was, however, happy that Zambia Sugar's behaviour against Magande had vindicated him because Zambians could now tell who was bad between him and the company management.

"Even the employees themselves have no freedom, what kind of a company is Zambia sugar which has no regard for senior government officials?" chief Mwanachingwala asked

He blamed members of parliament for failing to come up with laws which could supervise the operations of foreign investors, to avert a situation where the foreign investors insulted the people of Zambia.

Zambia sugar corporate affairs manager Lovemore Sievu who could neither respond to the minister nor chief's complaints, just cut the phone line after asking the reporter to hold on for a long time.

Magande said he was not happy with Zambia Sugar's absence at the function and that he was going to request the company management to explain why they never attended the dinner dance which was hosted in their estate on Saturday night.

Speaking during a stakeholders' meting at Lusaka's Chrismar Hotel yesterday, Ililonga said the government seemed to have continued protecting Zambia Sugar when it had failed to off load enough sugar on the market.

"We have in the past expressed concern about the unfairness of trade especially in the sugar sector but government has not paid attention to our cries," he said. "We therefore need to join forces as civil society and project our voice on this issue."

Ililonga said civil societies, therefore needed to come up with a strategy to push government to take action especially concerning the sugar shortage in the country.

"High sugar prices are leading to an increase in poverty levels amongst many Zambians and we feel that the domestic market should not be subsidising the export market," he said. "We are wondering whether government really has the interest of its people at heart because they seem not to be doing any thing serious about the shortage," he said.

ZACA programme manager Micheal Musenge said the government should institute an investigation as to why Zambia Sugar had continued exporting the commodity when they had failed to meet the local demand.

"They have not shown any sympathy towards their customers and have violated the basic rights of the citizenry," he said.

Labels: CHIEF MWANACHINGWALA, LABOUR, MUYUNDA ILILONGA, NEOLIBERALISM, ZACA, ZAMBIA SUGAR

posted by MrK @ 5:33 AM