Chief Museli offers FQM half of requested land

COMMENT - Perhaps proof that land should not even be vested in Chiefs. What does 'give' mean? 518 square km, that is 22km x 22km. Will people be removed from this area? What kind of environmental pollution are they going to look forward to?

Chief Museli offers FQM half of requested land
By David Chongo in Solwezi
Tue 12 July 2011, 19:10 CAT

SENIOR chief Museli says he is ready to give First Quantum Minerals (FQM) 518 square kilometres of land for the Trident Project and not the proposed 950. Chief Museli of the Lunda people of Solwezi West said the local people would be deprived of residential and farmland in the event that FQM were granted the 950 square kilometers of land for the project.

“We are still negotiating over the same. I am not certain. I am not sure what will happen. In my case, I am maintaining to give them 518 square kilometres but on their side, they are saying the ministry of mines has given them 950 square kilometres,” said chief Museli during the Nkisu ya Nzambi traditional ceremony at his palace on Saturday.

“We can’t allow them to occupy the whole chiefdom! Where shall we live? Where shall we farm? We are going to fail to find land to farm. If the mine signs for 950 square kilometres then our royal establishment will not sign that. Our whole chiefdom is taken. These are the problems in Zimbabwe. We are not against development but they must realise that human beings are important.”

Chief Museli said the royal establishment hoped that the discussions regarding the land in question would be fruitful, adding that FQM could not be forced to invest in the area if the local people’s demands were not met.

He said FQM needed to prioritise its social responsibility through the construction of roads, schools and clinics for the people in the chiefdom.
“Royalty must be there, even in the Bible it says ‘those who need royalty must be given royalty’. Even traditional leaders must be given royalties so that we benefit from the investment.

Automati-cally it should be there. If the Zambian law says you must do this or that, you must do that. These are the benefits we expect from investors,” chief Museli said.

He said he would soon meet with both the government and FQM for more talks regarding the project.

He said there were many things that needed to be discussed before Trident could commence full-scale operations.

Chief Museli said he would work with the government of the day to enhance development in his area.