Maravi

Ambassador Zhou can't intimidate me, says Kambwili

Ambassador Zhou can't intimidate me, says Kambwili
By Staff Reporters
Mon 30 Jan. 2012, 14:01 CAT

CHISHIMBA Kambwili says Chinese ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao cannot intimidate him. Appearing on ZNBC's Kwacha Good Morning Zambia programme yesterday, Kambwili, who is the Minister of Labour, said he was disappointed with some Chinese investors who were exploiting Zambians.

He said when he was on the Copperbelt inspecting some selected companies to check on workers' conditions of service, he was shocked by the treatment he got at one company run by a Chinese investor. Kambwili said one of the investors at one company even had the courage to call him ‘rude'.

Kambwili, who is former foreign affairs minister, said later, Ambassador Zhou even phoned the acting president Alexander Chikwanda to complain that he (Kambwili) was intimidating Chinese investors.

He wondered what kind of treatment ordinary Zambians and workers would get from a manager who had a courage to call a minister ‘rude'.

He said that in the past, another investor had the courage to label a permanent secretary as being childish.

He said the Chinese Ambassador would not intimidate him because he wanted workers to be respected.

"I will not be intimidated by the Chinese Ambassador," he said.

Kambwili said his quest for better working conditions for Zambians was not only targeted at the Chinese investors.

He said he would ensure all investors, whether Zambian, European or Asian adhered to Zambia's labour laws.

Last week, Kambwili ordered the revocation of the work permit for Sinozam Friendship Hospital chief medical officer Dr Xisheng Qin, a Chinese, for allegedly being rude.

Kambwili, who toured Sinozam Hospital to verify reports of poor conditions of service for employees was upset with Dr Xisheng when he started scolding him for quizzing him over the workers' conditions of service.

Kambwili and Dr Xisheng took each other on, calling each other rude.

Dr Xisheng said Kambwili was being rude by pointing at him while talking.

Kambwili asked his ministry officials to contact the Ministry of Home Affairs so that Dr Xisheng's work permit could be cancelled.

He gave the doctor seven days to leave Zambia.

Relations between Chinese nationals and the local people have not been without problems.

Chinese investors are seen as exploitative and paying meagre salaries to the workers, with working conditions that are pathetic.

The problems between the Chinese and Zambians are also made worse because of the language barrier as some Chinese investors have problems communicating in English.

China has invested about US$2 billion in Zambia, mostly in copper mining projects.

Labels: AMBASSADOR, CHINESE, CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI, LABOUR

posted by MrK @ 5:46 PM