(LUSAKAITMES) KK off to China as President Sata’s special envoy

KK off to China as President Sata’s special envoy
TIME PUBLISHED - Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 8:37 am

FORMER President Kenneth Kaunda yesterday left for China as President Sata’s special envoy to that country. Dr Kaunda, who left aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight around 15:00 hours, was accompanied by his wife Betty, his personal physician, and senior government officials.

He was seen off at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Effron Lungu. The former President refused to disclose contents of the message he is taking to Chinese President Hu Jintao, saying he cannot do so before delivering it.

He, however, said he is happy that he is going to China after being on a similar mission to Angola a few weeks ago. Dr Kaunda is expected to return home on December 2, 2011.
Last month, President Sata said he will welcome Chinese investors and promised to strengthen ties with China. This was when he hosted a luncheon for investors from Beijing.

During the campaigning trail for the September 20 tripartite elections, Mr Sata was one of the harsh critics of Chinese investors, especially in the mining sector where local employees have been complaining of low wages, poor conditions of service, and ill-treatment by their Chinese employers.

Meanwhile, NANCY SIAME and KANGWA MULENGA report that China’s non-Ferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC) Luanshya Copper Mine (LCM) says it will employ over 1, 000 locals before the end of this year.

LCM chief executive officer (CEO) Luo Xing’eng said the new employees will increase the work force to 3, 600 from the current 2,600 employees.

“Mulyashi mine is starting operations soon and when we open we need to increase our work force and we are hopeful that more locals will be employed once we commence full operations at Mulyashi,” Mr Luo said.

He also said the mine will continue giving priority to locals when employing. Mr Luo said plans are under way to reduce the number of expatriate workers at the mine from the current 70 to a much less number.

He was speaking in Luanshya yesterday when Copperbelt Minister John Kufuna paid a courtesy call on him at the mine. Mr Luo also said the mine will soon start revising the basic pay for miners to improve the salaries.

“Plans are under way to revise the collective package and negotiations are going on and we shall soon conclude,” he said. Mr Luo also said a renowned Chinese company has been engaged to do a design for Mulyashi mine to speed up the completion of the mine.

He said once the design has been completed, more local companies will be given contracts to do the finishing touches for the construction of the new mine. Earlier, Mr Kufuna urged the mine management to give contracts to local companies as opposed to Chinese companies.

Mr Kufuna said he has received many complaints that Zambian companies are not being given contracts at the mine. “I came here to find out whether the reports I’m receiving about giving of contracts to Chinese companies alone without considering local companies are true,” he said.

Mr Kufuna appealed to LCM to train the locals how to do jobs which are being done by expatriate workers at the mine. He said there is also need for the mining firm to improve the livelihood of people in the area they operate from through corporate social responsibilities.

[Zambia Daily Mail]