Maravi

2 PF MPs protest job losses

2 PF MPs protest job losses
Written by Margaret Mtonga
Monday, March 09, 2009 11:05:42 AM

ROAN PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili and his Kasama Central counterpart Saviour Chishimba yesterday staged a protest half naked at ZNBC on the job losses in the mining industry.

Kambwili, who was clad in a chitenge material, said he had decided to wage war against the pronouncements of job losses in the mines.

"Two days ago we were told that 9,000 jobs will be lost at Mopani, today in the papers it is reported that 1,321 jobs will be lost at Konkola Copper Mines. Therefore we have decided to wage war against these pronouncements, against these infesters who pretend to be investors. And we are not going to rest our case until something is done in the mining sector, until we save the jobs of our brothers," Kambwili said.

"Today is just the beginning of a lot of things. On Friday, my friend Honorable Chishimba and myself we will be at Nkana Mopani Copper Mines to conduct an on-the-spot check of what is going on. Friday afternoon we will be in Mufulira and on Saturday we will be at KCM at Nchanga just to see what has gone wrong so that we can produce a report that we are going to submit to the ministry and the President for onward action. Therefore, our protest this morning is to be in solidarity with the miners that are going to lose jobs on the Copperbelt.

And Chishimba said there was need to distinguish between individuals and legal entities.

"There is need to separate individuals and legal entities because The Post is a legal entity that has employees under it and directors," Chishimba said.

"The Post is a lifeline to many people and therefore to wage war against The Post Newspapers and generalise to say the media in Zambia has failed, to me that is unacceptable and is utter nonsense.

"We need the private media in Zambia as they do not censor stories the way the government media does it. They come out they came out the way they are supposed to be." Chishimba said it was unfortunate that at the time when the country was facing great challenges, President Rupiah Banda was busy hiring students to go to State House and denounce directors of Zambian Airways.

"If there is something wrong with [Zambian Airways chief executive officer] Mutembo Nchito and [Post editor] Fred M'membe, let the President sit down with them and not investing in students to denounce them at State House," said Chishimba.

"That is cheap politicking of the 20th Century and this is the 21st Century."

Labels: JOBLOSSES, MCM, MOPANI, PF, WORKER OWNED ENTERPRISES

posted by MrK @ 11:06 AM