Maravi

Ex-miners urge Rupiah to take action against Mwale over dumps

Ex-miners urge Rupiah to take action against Mwale over dumps
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Mon 25 July 2011, 13:59 CAT

FORMER miners on the Copperbelt who were allocated disused dumps have urged President Rupiah Banda to take disciplinary action against mines minister Maxwell Mwale for failing to grant them licences and title.

But Mwale said the former miners were not sincere because the dumps belong to mining companies and President Banda only promised to negotiate with the mines with a view to surrendering the sites. The former miners claimed that Mwale had defied the directive by President Banda that they be given title to the dumps to supplement their livelihoods.

“After launching the KDMP (Konkola Deep Mining Project) in Chililabombwe in April 2010, President Banda came to Kitwe and held a press conference at CEC Broadway Lodge, where he announced that former miners should be given the dumpsites and Mwale was directed to ensure that licences and titles were given to us,” said Peterson Manzi, who spoke on behalf of other former miners.

“We want President Banda to discipline Mwale for disobeying his directive, especially that the three-month reconnaissance permits given to us in August last year to explore and ascertain the viability of the dumps have even expired.”

Another former miner Nelson Fube from Chililabombwe said due to Mwale’s failure, the Kakoso dump in Chililabombwe has been sold to Sino Metals leach.

Other regions of former miners that want President Banda to take action against Mwale were Chambishi, Kitwe, Mufulira, Chingola, and Luanshya.

And responding to the miners sentiments, Mwale said Zambia was a preferred investment destination because investors were assured of security of tenure on their investments.

“They are free to make statements about their leaders but it is not true that I am insubordinate to President Banda because those dumps belong to the mines and the President directed that we negotiate which we are doing and so far KCM availed one site which has been given to some former miners,” said Mwale.

“As a responsible government we shall not grab those dumpsites unless the mines surrender them because grabbing the sites will send wrong signals about the country.”

Labels: MAXWELL MWALE, MINING, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 5:44 PM