Gap between Church and govt not good, charges Bishop O'Regan
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Monday March 24, 2008 [11:00]
THE differences between the church and the government have not done either side any good, Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) vice-president Bishop Noel O'Regan has said. Bishop O'Regan, who is also Catholic Diocese of Ndola Bishop, said it was necessary that churches worked together with the government to bring about an improvement in the lives of people.
He said there was a growing crisis in Zambia where the educational system and health services had collapsed due to lack of funding. Bishop O'Regan said there was also danger of future food shortages as the prices of food increased worldwide.
He said despite efforts over many years, there was still a situation in Zambia where people produced what they do not consume and consumed what they did not produce.
"It is necessary that churches work together with the government to bring about an improvement in the situation. Due to the differences between the government and many churches, there is a stand-off between the two. Among friends and family members a difference of opinion sometimes leads to hostility and even hatred. This can be found even at higher levels. If we hold different opinions, it doesn't mean that we are enemies," he said.
Bishop O'Regan said the lack of dialogue does neither side any good.
"As I've said, it is the vocation of the church to be the first to bridge the gap. It takes time as Joseph from the Bible discovered but afterwards the starving people of Israel had food to eat. If there were greater efforts to reconcile in Zambia, would it not benefit the people in the same way? Only good can come for all through reconciliation," he said.
He also said there was also need for reconciliation in a society where there was hostility between some people and Chinese nationals especially on the Copperbelt.
Bishop O'Regan said a couple of church personnel who came from far eastern countries had been mistaken for Chinese and had been abused and insulted.
He said one of them had become discouraged and planned to leave Zambia.
"Another has curtailed his pastoral activities so as to avoid those places where he has been the subject of abuse. If this is so among those who resemble Chinese what must be the experiences of the many Chinese people in Zambia today? As Christians, we are called to reconcile, to forgive and forget, to believe in the principles of the dignity of all people and universal solidarity of people. We are one, not that we are to forget those who have been unjust victims but to remember them without rancour and thoughts of revenge," he said.
Bishop O'Regan further urged Zambians to experience peace in their hearts this Easter as peace was often absent due to the need to be reconciled.
He said the celebration of the Feast of Easter brings home the need to be reconciled with God.
Bishop O'Regan said those who do not believe in God ignored this need but a Christian could never be happy with the status quo.
He said the Christian vocation was to bring about reconciliation at all levels.
"There is always need for reconciliation in the family, in the community and in the nation. The message of Easter is that we, the people who have been reconciled to God in Christ, must strive to bring about the reconciliation between all. The Church in Zambia must be in service of reconciliation, justice and peace," he said.
Bishop O'Regan gave an example of reconciliation in the Bible between Joseph and his brothers.
"We remember the Peace and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa following the collapse of Apartheid. Reconciliation in the South African sense means an absence of hostilities. Real reconciliation is concerned with the repair of relationships; not people living side by side in separate communities but people working together as one for the betterment of all," he said.
He said husbands should be reconciled with their wives and children and wives should do the same.
Bishop O'Regan said children should be reconciled with parents and among themselves.
"Families be reconciled. Reconcile with your colleagues and your workmates. The churches are also called to be reconciled with one another and not to accept the present situation of separation as permanent and irredeemable," said Bishop O'Regan.
Labels: CHINESE, GOVERNANCE, NOEL O'REGAN, ZEC
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No one was fired at Chambishi Mine
Posted on March 7th, 2008
Management at Chambishi Copper Smelter says it has not dismissed the striking workers. Company Secretary, Sun Chuanqi said the workers were merely being asked to explain why they took part in the riotous act. Mr. Sun said this in a statement to ZNBC News. He said it was not the company’s intention to dismiss the workers.
Mr. Sun said his company wants to establish why the workers decided to stay away from work for two days despite management and the union having agreed to continue with negotiations. He stressed that none of the employees have been fired. The workers have been given three days to exculpate themselves. Workers have since been asked to report back for work. Earlier reports had indicated that over 500 workers who went on strike and participated in the riot that caused damage to company property had been fired.
Meanwhile, three of the eight Chambeshi Copper Smelter workers have been charged with malicious damage to property while five union officials have been released. Both Copperbelt Province Police Commanding Officer, Antonell Mutentwa and National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) President, Mundia Sikufele confirmed the development to ZNBC News.
Mr. Mutentwa said that the union officials have been released unconditionally while the three mineers have been charged with malicious damage to property.
Police Wednesday, detained eight mine workers among them union officials following the riotous behaviour by workers which resulted into damage to company property.
In another development, Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM) has awarded its employees an 18 per cent percent salary increment across the board.
Speaking at the signing ceremony of the new collective Agreement LCM Chief Executive Officer, Derek Webbstock said the increament will harmonize the working environment.
And Mine Workers Union of Zambia President, Rayford Mbulu assured the mining company of its continued support.
He said MUZ will work closely with LCM to enhance growth of the mining company.
Labels: CHAMBISHI MINE, CHINESE, LABOUR
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Chambishi workers riot
By ALEX NJOVU
THREE workers, two Zambian and one Chinese, sustained severe injuries in a riot that erupted following a protracted labour dispute at Chambishi Copper Smelter (CCS) in Kitwe yesterday. The fracas between unionised workers and senior management staff at the Chinese-owned copper smelter under construction lasted several hours and left one Chinese worker without teeth after he was stoned on the mouth. CCS company secretary, Sun Chuanqi, said the company had not refused to address the workers’ demands and was therefore disappointed by the unrest that turned violent.
“The process of negotiation is still going on. We have not refused to meet their demands in any way. We are still negotiating, but I must state that we are disappointed that the workers damaged company property,” Mr Chuanqi said.
Workers rioted and damaged infrastructure worth millions of Kwacha. They set ablaze infrastructure and fought with police for several hours. The damaged property included a tractor, a security checkpoint, a crane, rear gate, Chinese workers’ hostels and a water tanker. The protesting workers attempted to set ablaze a company bus before police contained the situation.
The workers blocked all the roads leading into the company premises and demanded that their pay be increased by over K800,000. Workers’ representatives said the K291,000 workers were paid per month was not enough to sustain them and demanded a minimum of K1.2 million for the lowest paid.
Chief Government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti condemned the striking CCS workers who rioted and damaged company property on the second day of the labour protest. Mr Mulongoti who is Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services said in an interview that it was unfortunate that the workers damaged property instead of negotiating with management over their grievances. The minister said it was regrettable that the workers vented their anger on company property.
“They have now destroyed their own pot where they were feeding from. They could have found a better way of presenting their grievances rather than damaging company property,” Mr Mulongoti said.
He said it would now be difficult for anyone to sympathise with the workers because they had resorted to destroying property.
“They may have genuine reasons, but then it might be difficult to sympathise with them because they have damaged company property.
The owners of the company may one day decide to relocate somewhere else and that property will belong to them, the Zambian people,” he said.
“As Government, we don’t condone such destructive behaviour.”
Several police officers from Kitwe, Chambishi and Kalulushi were called in to control the situation.
And Copperbelt permanent secretary Jennifer Musonda who rushed to the scene condemned the workers for damaging company property.
Mrs Musonda said management had since asked all the Zambian workers at CCS to stay away from work until investigations to establish what caused the confusion were concluded.
She said management would take action against the ringleaders once they were identified as the ones who led the violence.
She said two Zambian workers and one Chinese national were injured during the confusion. The Chinese worker is admitted to Sinozam Friendship Hospital in Kitwe.
“A Chinese national was stoned on the mouth and lost some of his teeth. He was bleeding a lot and was rushed to the hospital. What happened is embarrassing,” she said.
“They attempted to burn the filling station, one of the company big buses, the kitchen…they burnt the guardroom, they burnt the tractor, and they smashed all the windows of the Chinese hostels,” she said.
“What has happened is shameful, but as Government, we would like to assure the Chinese people and Government of our continued support and that their investment is protected.”
Mrs Musonda said the workers started rioting between 07:30 hours and 08:00 and wondered why the workers decided to damage and burn company property when they could have used other channels to present their grievances.
“This infrastructure which is here belongs to us the Zambians; why then are we damaging our own property? The operations at the company have not been suspended but management have asked all Zambian workers to stay home until further notice,” she said.
Copperbelt police commanding officer Antoneill Mutentwa and Kalulushi District Commissioner Joshua Mutisa accompanied Mrs Musonda.
Labels: CHAMBISHI MINE, CHINESE
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Chinese beaten up in Zambia mines
Some Chinese mines in Zambia have poor safety records
A Chinese manager at a copper smelter in northern Zambia has been admitted to hospital after being assaulted by workers demanding better conditions.
An estimated 500 workers at the Chinese-owned Chambishi mine site started throwing stones at the managers as they attempted to hold talks.
Police came in to restore order and rescue the Chinese who had taken refuge by locking themselves in their offices. Several buildings were burned in the violence and a protester was injured.
Last year, China's president cancelled a visit to Chambishi fearing protests. A blast at the copper mine killed 50 people in 2005.
Holiday rumours
Chambishi Smelter, which is under construction, is part of a huge multi-million dollar Chinese investment in the area.
Miners see 'little reward'
The BBC's Boyd Chibale in Kitwe says a kitchen for Chinese workers and a guard's house were set alight and hostel windows smashed in the violence. Our correspondent says the workers have now gone home, and the Chinese management are in talks with the unions.
The protest was sparked by rumours that members of the Chinese management team were about to go on holiday, which workers feared would delay negotiations to improve their conditions of service.
"The Chinese are not respecting Zambian labour laws," workers' representative Teddy Chisala told the AFP news agency.
In recent years, China has emerged as one of the biggest buyers of Zambian copper. But correspondents say Chinese investment in mining and manufacturing has not been without controversy - with constant industrial disputes amidst allegations of poor working conditions.
In elections in 2006, opposition candidate Michael Sata ran on an anti-China ticket, calling for "Zambia for Zambians".
Labels: CHAMBISHI MINE, CHINESE
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Chinese not after Zambians' jobs, assures Hucheng
By Correspondent
Thursday February 28, 2008 [03:00]
VISITING Chinese vice minister of commerce Gao Hucheng has said that Chinese technicians and engineers are not in the country to grab jobs from Zambians. And Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima has called for effective dialogue between Zambians and Chinese investors to iron out various perceived differences between them.
Speaking when he visited the construction site of the Chambishi Copper Smelter on Tuesday afternoon, Hucheng said that more technical staff was brought into Zambia from China to help speed up the project and not to get jobs from Zambians.
Hucheng said once the project was completed, all the Chinese technical staff would return to China and all the jobs would be left to Zambians. He also expressed happiness that the Zambian government had been supportive of the Chinese investment in the country.
“I am happy that the project is moving at a good speed. I must appeal to the minister to explain to the people that Chinese technical staff who have come here have not come to get jobs from Zambians, but to help speed up the project and this can be evidenced by the fast rate the project has been moving at,” he said.
And Mbulakulima said there was need to meet from time to time to discuss various problems that Zambians and Chinese might be facing in their operations.
He said China had been Zambia’s all weather-friend and it was important that the relationship was further strengthened through effective dialogue.
He said the proposed economic zone in Chambishi was a multiplier project and needed to be supported by all patriotic Zambians that wanted to see development in the country.
Labels: CHINESE, JOBS
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Don't leave MFEZ to Zambians, Levy tells Chinese.
By Chibaula Silwamba
Wednesday February 27, 2008 [03:00]
DON’T leave Multi Facility Economic Zones (MFEZ) to Zambians because we don’t have adequate resources to make them successful, President Mwanawasa has urged a visiting Chinese business delegation. Addressing the delegation that paid a courtesy call on him at State House on Monday, President Mwanawasa said Zambian businessmen were very keen to participate in the trade zones.
“But I want to say at the outset that we don’t want you to leave them entirely to the Zambians.
We don’t have adequate resources to make these trade zones successful. We would hope that Chinese businessmen will come and invest in these trade zones and if they can go into partnership with Zambians that will be better,” he said. “
You have thanked us for the support which we have given you on the trade zones but in my view it should be the other way round because it’s you who has supported us. This is an initiative which you gave to Zambia and it’s a true symbol of true friendship.”
He urged the Chinese to continue investing in Zambia.
“We are used to receiving people here who come to sell products from their countries to us as consumers but the difference with your delegation is that you have come to see what items you can buy from Zambia whereby you are increasing our volume of trade in our favour,” he said. “We are very grateful for the development effort which you have given to Zambia and we do hope that this will continue.”
President Mwanawasa said he was glad that already the Chambishi MFEZ had created over 3,000 jobs.
“I do hope that sooner rather than later when the trade zone is fully operational, many more people will be employed,” President Mwanawasa.
He said he was happy that China had given Zambia a grant of US$6 million (about K22 billion) and a donation of US $200,000 (about K746 million) towards addressing the effects of floods.
“Feel free to take a sample of the rural areas, you visit the rural areas to see the real Zambia, to see challenges which we have to face, the challenges of poverty because what you see here in town is nothing compared to what we face in rural areas,” said President Mwanawasa.
Labels: CHINESE, FDI, MFEZ, MWANAWASA
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Chinese property rights protected, State assures visiting minister
By Times Reporter
GOVERNMENT has assured visiting Chinese commerce vice- minister, Gao Hucheng, that the Zambian Government will protect property rights of Chinese investors. Commerce Trade and Industry Minister, Felix Mutati, said yesterday when Mr Gao called on him that the two countries needed to expand economic relations by increasing the number of Chinese companies in Zambia from 200.
He said on its part, the Zambian Government would support investing companies with conducive policies that would ensure the growth of the economic relations.
Mr Mutati said Zambia was happy that the Chinese government was constructing an economic zone in Chambishi while another one would be set up in Lusaka.
“For the economic zone in Chambishi US$250 million has already been spent in a project that will cost $900 with capacity to create over 600 jobs,” he said.
He said the Government was grateful and indebted to China for deciding to locate the first of the five trade and economic cooperation zones in Zambia at Chambishi.
He said for Lusaka, there were also plans to construct an airport hub to connect Lusaka to neighbouring countries also linking China to the region especially that Zambia was surrounded by eight countries.
Mr Mutati said the companies constructing economic zones should be able to access loans for them to succeed and encourage others.
Mr Gao said Zambia was the first country in the region to establish economic ties with China and that his country was satisfied with the expansion in cooperation.
He said Chinese companies wanted to invest in Zambia because it was stable and had a conducive economic environment although there was need for increased communication by business sectors in both countries.
He encouraged the Zambian business community to buy Chinese products because of the durability and low prices while the Chinese business community should also buy Zambia’s resources.
The visiting vice-minister said his government would help in establishing economic zones and if they succeeded, more Chinese companies would invest in Zambia.
He added that China would construct rural schools, a hospital, malaria centre and agricultural centre for Zambians to improve on their farming.
He announced that 40 million RMB ($5 million) has been given to Zambia as a grant for use for any purpose to be identified by the Government.
Earlier on arrival at the Lusaka International Airport, Mr Gao said his visit to Zambia would enable the Chinese and the Zambian governments to discuss possible areas of economic corporation particularly in the mining and agriculture sector.
He told journalists that his trip to Zambia would further strengthen the pragmatic corporation that existed between China and Zambia as well as accord the Chinese government an opportunity to study Zambia’s investment opportunities.
He stated that the visit to Zambia was an opportunity for Zambian entrepreneurs to showcase their products to the Chinese business delegation that arrived in the country on Saturday.
Mr Gao said that the Chinese government would allow Zambians to export duty free different products to China mainly minerals and agricultural products.
And in his welcoming remarks, director of trade in the ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry, Siazonga Siakalenga said Mr Gao had come at a right time when Zambia had already started benefiting from the China-Africa Corporation Facility.
Mr Gao is also expected to tour the Chambishi Economic Zone in Chambishi.
On Saturday, a 20-member Chinese delegation arrived in Zambia ahead of the minister.
Labels: CHINESE, FDI
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Bogus investors
By Marlon Phiri Lusaka
Wednesday November 07, 2007 [03:00]
I would also like to give credit to Michael Sata, president of the PF. From the onset, I want to say that it is very good that Sata is in the opposition. His fight against what he calls bogus Chinese investment in Zambia is interesting.
Sata has been very consistent in his fight against Chinese investment, especially those that come to Zambia only to be found at Soweto market, selling vegetables and chickens and running restaurants.
Just over a month ago, we saw pictures of a Chinese couple involved in the theft of Zamtel and Zesco cables and some copper cathodes. Last week Sata reiterated his fight against bogus Chinese investment and the poor labour conditions that they subject most Zambians to. And the story of the Chinese firm that is dealing in stolen copper cathodes does not give a good picture of Chinese dealings in Zambia.
At Harvard University, Sata illustrated how much he felt Zambia had lost out in attracting genuine investors at the hands of the Chinese investors. The failure by the Zambian government to review the tax exemptions also means that our country continues to lose out on the benefits of our natural resource.
Now the Chinese would like to prove that they can be good and so in this “positive” competition we the Zambians are likely to benefit.
In the process, we can get back what rightly belongs to us: access to good water and health facilities, education for our children as well as decent jobs that will help us to stand on our two feet as a free people.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33624
HH's politics
By Raphael Mukuka Australia
Wednesday November 07, 2007 [03:00]
Zambian politics will never cease to amaze me. Looking at the front page of Monday’s Post, I wonder what HH is trying to achieve campaigning for a candidate who will obviously not win the election but lure a few votes that destabilise a potential candidate’s chances to win with big margins.
Opposition parties need to have one voice if they want to have influence in Parliament. There is no need for another opposition party to contest the by-election in Nchanga Constituency when there is already one.
Other opposition parties should have rallied behind PF to win back their seat. We also expect PF to support other opposition parties in areas where they are strong and not fight each other over things that are straightforward.
The money UPND and its candidate are spending can be used for more positive developments that are more achievable.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33623
What is Sata's ideology?
By MJ Johannesburg
Wednesday November 07, 2007 [03:00]
One MM writes that ‘Sata is a voice for the voiceless’ and by some forceful persuasions want Zambians to subscribe to this notion.
To make such statements is to say the Zambians’ memories are too short, uninformed about international affairs and above all cannot distinguish between a failed and frustrated politician from a genuine and honest leader. It would be greatly appreciated if Sata could answer a few basic but fundamental questions surrounding the matter at hand; when did it occur to him that Taiwan is an issue? Was it during the tenure in office with Dr Kaunda, Chiluba or Mwanawasa?
What is the difference in Chinese claim of Hong Kong and Taiwan?
Did he ever protest when the British gave up Hong Kong?
Consistency is one virtue that is conspicuously missing in most of our politicians. If a leader’s belief, inclination or opinion changes it is normal courtesy the public knows so as to help in making right choices of their leaders.
It may sound ridiculous but one Dr Machungwa was bold enough to say that his ideology had changed in a matter concerning a president seeking a third term. What is Sata’s ideology anyway?
This is the same man who at one time said that street vendors should be allowed to trade on the streets while during his tenure as Lusaka Urban district governor he would round up these traders and send them to Chongwe so they could find their way back to Lusaka as a way of punishing them.
When it suited him it was fine to chase street vendors but when it is other people doing it, he raises his voice as if he is speaking for the voiceless.
In my view Sata speaks for his own political survival just like he tried to do on Chiluba’s infamous third-term-bid.
Labels: CHINESE, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA
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I don't need The Post -Sata
By Patson Chilemba
Wednesday November 07, 2007 [03:00]
I don’t need The Post, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata has said. Reacting to revelations that he left Crowne Plaza Hotel in London with his passport in his jacket pocket, contrary to claims that a Chinese porter stole his passport and that he had reported the matter to the police and the hotel management, Sata refused to comment on the matter. He said Post managing editor Amos Malupenga did not give him an opportunity to react to yesterday’s lead story, which was headlined “Sata left Hotel With Passport”.
He said The Post needed him most.“I don’t need The Post, The Post needs me more,” he said.
According to Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage obtained by The Post, Sata checked out of the hotel using the passport he claims was stolen from him by a Chinese porter at the hotel.
According to the CCTV footage, Sata checked out of the hotel on October 22, 2007 at 06:52 hours when he presented his passport to the receptionist. After briefly looking at the passport, the receptionist put the passport on the counter where Sata picked it from and immediately pushed it in the inner pocket of his jacket.
And addressing a rally in Lusaka’s Mandevu compound to drum up support for PF Justin Kabwe Ward candidate Francis Mwenya on Monday in tomorrow’s ward elections, Sata said it was unfortunate that while most Zambians were suffering, the Chinese were busy enjoying Zambia’s riches.
He commended the police service for arresting Chinese nationals who owned a mining firm but were caught with stolen copper cathodes worth billions of kwacha.
“President Mwanawasa swore to defend you. But after swearing to defend you, President Mwanawasa joined hands with this muzezulu woman, Masebo. They got the police and started chasing you from the streets,” Sata said. “But Mateyo (Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo) said I want to show Mwanawasa where the real crime is. He (Mateyo) arrested the Chinese who were stealing copper cathodes.”
Sata urged Mwenya not to be ‘bewitched with foolishness’ by turning against the people if elected into office.
Labels: CHINESE, SATA
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Police seize 'stolen' copper cathodes from Chinese firm
By Mwala Kalaluka
Friday November 02, 2007 [03:00]
POLICE have seized from a Chinese mining firm in Ndola a substantial quantity of copper cathodes and cables suspected to have been stolen. Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo said yesterday that the contraband was discovered after a tip-off from members of the public.
“The quantity is not yet clear but what I know is that it is quite substantial,” Mateyo said. He said experts would be called in to ascertain the value of the copper cathodes and cables.
“I want to warn these people that are stealing copper to keep away from these vices because the long arm of the law will not rest; it will reach them,” he said. “My warning is not only to the Chinese; that would be wrong, but to all people that are dealing in copper substances that the police will not rest.”
Asked further about the people connected to the theft, Mateyo responded, “Who they are and where they come from I don’t know; all I know is that they are Chinese.”
Mateyo commended the Anti-Copper Theft Squad “for a job well done”.
And Mateyo said Solwezi police arrested two foreign nationals who were found with two trucks loaded with stolen copper.
He said the copper was believed to have been stolen from Kansanshi Copper Mine.
Labels: CHINESE, COPPER, CORRUPTION, EPHRAIM MATEYO
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Chinese should respect labour laws
By Jenkins Chisoni,Glasgow
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]
Here we go again, what is our very able commerce minister Felix Mutati talking about? In one instance he admits his worry about the influx of Chinese labourers in Zambia and in another he seems to be justifying the influx.
Have I misunderstood the minister? I hope I have, but how am I to believe that labour law enforcement officers can be supported in arresting and throwing out Chinese lawbreakers without stepping on the toes of the minister, whose interests are in Chinese investments and trade, not the jobless Zambian labourers?
I agree with the minister that the US and the western countries are the biggest trading partners of China with the US even complaining about the trading deficit of over US$255 billion imports from China against US$40 billion US exports to that country.
The interesting observation is that none of the Chinese US$255 billion worth of exports to the US is human unskilled Chinese cheap labour. Yet, for the less than 5 per cent trade to quote our minister, China imposes on us, the poor Africans, acceptance of the Chinese labourers without discussion and with full knowledge of our labour laws. I have no doubt that the Chinese Embassy has got a copy of our labour laws.
The future of trade is with main-land China and not Taiwan as Sata wants to make us believe. But we need to protect our diginity as a nation and ask China to observe and respect our labour laws.
The truth though is that it is a very tricky situation for the minister because he has to turn a blind eye on labour law enforcement officers who can only show their teeth but not bite the foreign labourers for fear of the powers that be. Yes the labour laws are very clear as the minister says, but where is the will to implement them? That is the big question.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33262
We must question Chinese investments
By Davies C.Chileshe
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]
The presence of Chinese investments in most parts of Africa, especially here in Zambia is something that we must question.
China is in a position to help other developing countries economically.
But from the outset China has a massive interest towards African resources.
The question to ask is what are the Chinese here for. Are they here for the development of Africa or to reap from the vast resources that the continent has?
Are they there to render help to the Zambian government? Or are they there to help themselves through Zambian resources at the expense of poor Zambians?
Reading The Post of Saturday October 27th, I’m impressed with the stance that the commerce minister Felix Mutati has taken. He has raised a concern on the influx of Chinese labourers.
He has wondered why the situation is like this despite having labour laws to help control the situation.
The government should do something before the situation gets desperate. They should revisit and reinforce labour laws. I salute Mutati for his stance.
I know that it is not such an easy thing to do, for many would prefer to please the President in order to maintain good relationships with China despite the injustices they are doing to us.
Finally I would like to advise everyone that we are not suppose to throw away or despise completely the words of Sata. I see quite a lot of sense in what he says about China. Why should China keep on bringing its labourers while Zambia is stricken with a crisis of unmployement?
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33263
Infrastructure development
By Concerned Citizen
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]
I wish to comment on the government’s failure to address some of the infrastructure problems we are facing. Most roads are in a pathetic state and all the government is saying is that there’s no money. As workers we pay tax monthly and copper prices are high now. Can government justify why we can’t have better roads?
A number of accidents have occured on the Kitwe-Chililabombwe via Chingola road due to its poor state, resulting in deaths. Why does governemnt have to wait for people to die before addressing this issue?
One wonders why money for by-elections is always available and allowances for ministers and the President are always there when money for infrastructure development is always unavailable.
The government should be more dedicated to the development of infrastructure.
The other problem that this country faces is that of housing, which could easily be addressed if the governmement had a programme to build houses every year.
I urge the government to set aside money for housing every year.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33264
US military base in Africa
By John Milimo,Lusaka
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]
The idea of a military base in Africa should be unthinkable simply because a lot of African countries are in extreme poverty and are faced with high levels of unemployment which are now driving people into acts of desperation. My simple question is: How will the military base help to alleviate human suffering.
For me the military base will increase human suffering because it will psychologically prepare people for wars.
May the resources which they want to use for the military base be put to good use of alleviating human suffering on the continent. I appeal to all African leaders to reflect on the idea of a military base in a more serious way, lest they create more problems than they can solve.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=33217
Mpombo's remarks on NCC amendment
By Musonda Kunda Lusaka
Sunday October 28, 2007 [03:00]
The statement by Mpombo that the government is not going to amend the NCC Act anymore is strange as it is retrogressive. The minister must know that amending of any Act is not a sign of weakness but is a gesture to show that concerns of stakeholders are being put into consideration.
The minster must know that dialogue forms the basis of all progressive endeavours including political activities.
By him coming out in open to say that the government is no longer going to amend the NCC Act any more is a clear demonstration of the MMD government’s inability to dialogue and unwillingness to change their stance even in the view of abundant evidence and need.
The government must reconsider the position otherwise they shall defeat the whole essence of democracy in which dialogue is enshrined.
Labels: AFRICOM, CHINESE, GEORGE MPOMBO
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Chinese labourers
By Editor
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]
It is said that if one is too heavily indebted to another, one will lose his or her own independence. This is also said of a man who chooses to borrow another man’s legs because he will go where the owner of the legs directs.
This scenario is likely to be very applicable in Zambia’s relationship with China, especially when it comes to the latter’s investment in our country. Many of our citizens who are genuinely concerned about Zambia’s co-operation with China, not Michael Sata who wants to cash in on this subject, have raised very valid concerns which the government needs to look at seriously.
Only last week, commerce minister Felix Mutati said he was worried about the influx of Chinese labourers in Zambia. And on Saturday, we saw and heard Mutati on television saying Zambia as a country should show appreciation for the great help it has received from China for many decades.
It is true that Zambia needs economic allies like China if it has to make meaningful economic developments. But we see a great danger in this approach. It is clear to us that our government is over-glorifying Zambia’s economic friendship with China. Suddenly, there is so much importance being attached to China and its people, even at the expense of the Zambian people.
No doubt, there should be some mutual interdependence in Zambia’s relationship with China in the same manner hands that wash each other do. There is mutual interdependence in the act of handwashing, just like people depend on each other.
However, looking at the way our government is taking relations with China, it is clear that we have surrendered our rights and control in terms of how China is going about its investment in Zambia. While it is appreciated that China is doing a lot to improve or develop Zambia’s economy, it is not to be accepted that investors from China will come here and operate as they please.
It was interesting to hear Mutati complain about the influx of the Chinese labourers in Zambia on the one hand, and urge Zambians to show appreciation for China’s help on the other. We wonder in which way Zambia or Zambians have to show appreciation for China’s help. Is it by ignoring the Chinese labourers flooding our streets? Or is it by tolerating those Chinese investors who are flouting Zambia’s labour laws.
If the government is crying about the influx of Chinese labourers in Zambia, who is going to stop this anomaly? Like Nevers Mumba and others have rightly observed, we cannot blame China for the influx of Chinese labourers in Zambia, we cannot blame China for some of their investors who are not respecting our labour laws, we cannot blame China for those Chinese investors exploiting our people.
All these things are happening because our government has tolerated them. It is said that when one is unhappy, the cause of his unhappiness is within oneself. We remember how some Chinese investors in Sinazeze last year humiliated the then Southern Province minister Alice Simango when she visited the mine where some Chinese investors are operating to physically check how the Zambian workers there were exposed to inhuman conditions as well as hazardous working conditions. Simango was denied access to the premises. Instead of applying the law against these cheeky investors, Simango just broke into tears, lamenting the bad attitude of these Chinese investors.
Today, nothing has improved in this mine and our people are continually exposed to harsh working conditions. It is true that poverty transforms a free man into a slave. When a man becomes penniless, he loses the freedom and options that he had before. Yes, Zambia may today be poorer but we are not expected to lose our freedom and options.
How can we continue to complain about the high unemployment levels when we are surrendering everything to the Chinese and other foreigners?
While it is true that we need Chinese expertise in certain fields, we do not expect a horde of Chinese labourers in Zambia. Do we really require a multitude of Chinese or Taiwanese to come to Zambia to push wheelbarrows? Do we need the Chinese to mix cement with sand when most of our youths are jobless? Do we need Chinese to grow vegetables in Zambia for Zambians? Do we need the Chinese to cook and sell nshima at City Market? Are we being serious as a country?
Enough has been said about this investment from our friends in China. What we require now is pragmatic action from our government. We expect to see the Minister of Home Affairs and his officials in the ministry to play their role effectively just like the Minister of Labour and other related ministries should do.
Labels: CHINESE, EDITORIAL, FDI
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Zambia must use the law to check Chinese - Nevers
By Speedwell Mupuchi, Maluba Kaindu-Jere, Mutale Kapekele and M
Monday October 29, 2007 [03:00]
ZAMBIA must use the power of domestic legislation, effective negotiation and diplomacy to get its slice of the international cake, former Republican vice-president Pastor Nevers Mumba has said. And United Liberal Party president Sakwiba Sikota has said it is unfortunate that there is an influx of Chinese labourers in Zambia. Commenting on the Zambia-China relations, Pastor Mumba yesterday said Zambians should be street-wise and put in place guidelines and regulations that would forever protect the vulnerable citizens.
“The issue of China and Zambia can be likened to a sloppy Zambian stadium. The stadium slopes towards our goal post. The visiting team (China) just has to roll the ball into our goal post. It is easy for them and it is working for them. It is not in their interest to spend money to level the playing field. We have to level the playing field,” he said.
Pastor Mumba said that he discovered while he was in government that Zambians were failing to police own regulations.
“One of the reasons for such failure is corruption. Those ministries and departments responsible for issuing work permits, inspecting safety equipment and procedures are usually compromised by these investors who have lots of money,” he said.
Pastor Mumba said in a global world of international commerce, Zambia must use the power of domestic legislation, effective negotiation and diplomacy to get its slice of the international cake. He said he did not think in choosing Taiwan above China, one had to hate one to love the other.
“Zambia, like any other nation of the world must to a larger extent remain non-aligned. America deals with both Taiwan and China. America which promotes democracy and is opposed to dictatorships has gone to bed in broad daylight with nations like, Saudi Arabia and Musharaf’s Pakistan! This might appear immoral, but for America, an ally is the one who is most relevant to the battle they are fighting,” Pastor Mumba said.
He said it was not China’s responsibility to put in place guidelines and regulations to protect the vulnerable citizens.
“China, like any other nation of the world, is hungry for our resources and will take advantage of any loophole created by our carelessness. We are the only ones who can ensure that investors pay Zambians well,” Pastor Mumba said. “We are the only ones that can ensure that safety regulations are followed. We are the only ones who can decide the conditions to sell any national asset to a foreigner or foreign firm.”
Pastor Mumba said China could not be ignored. He said America today did more business with China than any other nation of the world and yet they were opposed to China politically.
“All that America has done is to create strong controls on how foreign investment will be handled. Chinese investors cannot oppress an American in broad daylight, because the government will withdraw their investment license and possibly be deported,” he said.
Pastor Mumba called for removal of inequalities in the nation that seemed to favour foreigners above locals without jeopardising Zambia’s ability to continue attracting foreign investment.
“Today, it appears to be easier for a foreigner to get a job in Zambia than it is for a Zambian. This cannot be China’s fault. Their goal, if they had a way, is to make maximum profit with minimum input. This can mean bringing in their own labourers and paying Zambians poorly so that they maximise on the profits they externalise back to China.”
Pastor Mumba said the issue of Chinese labour being brought into Zambia deserves closer scrutiny.
“When Zambia’s unemployment rates are growing higher, it is only fair to ask, ‘why should Chinese labour be brought in when we have thousands of our people who are able-bodied and ready to be trained and work for a life-sustaining wage?’ That’s a fair question that deserves to be asked,” Pastor Mumba said.
He said it fell upon the Ministry of Labour and Social Services to justify why Chinese cheap labour was needed in Zambia.
And Sakwiba Sikota expressed surprise that commerce minister Felix Mutati was complaining about the influx of the Chinese when government was the one that issued permits. He also said it was the government’s responsibility to ensure Zambia did not have unnecessary labour.
“Instead of complaining about the influx of the Chinese, Mutati should have told us what the government will do to solve this problem,” Sikota said. “Zambians have a lot of skills and there is no need of giving jobs to Chinese which can be handled by Zambians. The next time the government comments, we expect them to tell the nation how they would have solved this problem.”
Last week, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata during a Human Rights forum at Harvard University in the United States where he was invited to make a presentation on human rights, charged that crooked Chinese had invaded Zambia.
However, Mutati last Thursday called for the enforcement of labour laws to address the problem of the influx of Chinese labourers.
And Sikota said that Zambia should have good relations with all governments.
“Our policy is to cultivate and have good relations with all governments because doing so can ensure good investments to benefit the Zambian people. We want investors who will give good positions to Zambians and not just exploit them,” said Sikota.
Labels: CHINESE, FDI, NEVERS MUMBA, SAKWIBA SIKOTA
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Influx of Chinese labourers worries Mutati
By Chibaula Silwamba
Saturday October 27, 2007 [04:00]
COMMERCE, trade and industry minister Felix Mutati has called for enforcement of labour laws to address the problem of influx of Chinese labourers in the country.
In an interview in Lusaka on Thursday, Mutati admitted that there had been concerns about the influx of Chinese labourers in the country.
“That concern has been expressed from many quarters about the employment and bringing in of labour, etc. We have labour laws in this country which are very specific and clear,” responded Mutati when asked about Chinese labourers coming to Zambia. “But the challenge for us is basically enforcement of the law. So we need to enhance our enforcement efforts. That is all it requires.”
Mutati observed that there was a perspective that was developing that Africa was surrendering itself to the invasion by China, particularly in the area of trade and that the continent must re-look its relationship with China.
“Now if you look at the scale of trade globally you will see that the trade between China and Africa is probably less than five per cent compared to the trade between the Western world and China. And one of China’s biggest trading partners is the US. So from an African perspective what we are saying is that given the volume of trade and investment between the West and China which obviously has been sustainable, we ask a question: If it’s good for them, why should it be bad for us?” Mutati wondered.
“They are the ones that are doing big business with China. Now they are saying it’s bad for Africa. That is a contradiction, isn’t it? Specific example in Zambia, there is the expansion programme of Chilanga Cement now called Lafarge which is owned by Lafarge of France. Now when they were carrying out an assessment to offer the contract for the expansion programme, I think the expansion is about US$150 million there about, they searched around the world for best delivery, cost and technology, and sitting in Paris they offered it to a Chinese company. We did not pick the Chinese contractor, they made their own assessments and they saw the merits in awarding that particular contract to Chinese.”
He said another example was at Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) where NFC of China was sinking a shaft.
“Again KCM is owned by a company listed on the London Stock Exchange,” he said. “So all we are saying is that our colleagues are making decisions to trade and invest in China and vice verse and Africa is saying they shouldn’t be denied the similar opportunity.
We remain alive to the fact that trade with China obviously like any other country in the world may have its own difficulties but these are the challenges that individual countries have to address.”
Labels: CHINESE, FDI
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Zambia has fallen prey to unscrupulous Chinese investors - Sata
By Brighton Phiri
Thursday October 25, 2007 [12:55]
ZAMBIA has fallen prey to unscrupulous Chinese investors, Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata has charged. In his presentation to the United States of America (USA) based Harvard University Committee on Human Rights Studies Events Series on Wednesday, Sata said Zambia had been invaded by rogue Chinese investors.
"Zambia has also found it difficult to attract genuine investors and has become the prey of the rogue Chinese investors that have no regard for the welfare of those that are unfortunate enough to work for them, let alone the countries that have allowed them to exploit their natural resources and people," Sata said.
He said Chinese investments such as large scale-mining and construction firms had created industrial disharmony due to poor working conditions, which did not comply with Zambia's labour laws, environmental regulations and the occupational health and safety standards.
"They also pay slave wages. The Chinese investments have also created only a limited number of skilled and unskilled jobs for Zambians, because most technical and managerial positions, as well as a significant number of unskilled jobs are reserved for, and held by the Chinese workers, who have come along with the investment," he said. "The situation is worsened by disparities in wages paid to the Chinese and Zambian workers doing the same jobs, with the Chinese being paid substantially more."
Sata said due to the favorable treatment given to the Chinese by the immigration service, there were currently more than 80,000 Chinese nationals in Zambia.
"Government also ignores very serious reports of abuse of Zambian workers by their Chinese superiors. Failure to observe the occupational health standards at the Chinese government owned explosives factory even resulted in the death of 50 Zambian casual workers, in an explosion that destroyed the entire plant, but in which not a single Chinese life was lost," said Sata referring to the BILGRIMM Explosives accident in 2005. "Many questions surrounding the death of the 50 Zambians workers at the Chinese explosives factory to this day remain unanswered."
He said Zambia's failure to curb the violation of industrial and labor laws could be attributed to the overbearing influence of the Chinese government on its Zambian counterpart, through provision of generous gifts to the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) and the powers that be.
He said the Chinese private investment had also brought into Zambia unfair competition.
Sata said the Chinese traders sold cheap low quality products from China ranging from clothes to electronic household goods, which did not meet the local standards.
"The garments, for example, wear out after being washed once, but they cost substantially less, and uninformed poor people, buy such garments at the expense of stronger locally made garments," he said.
"Such trading activities are killing the local industry and taking away livelihoods from local people, such as tailors and traders selling better quality garments, not to mention the textile firms, most of which have collapsed not only in Zambia, but in Southern African region as a whole."
He said the entry of Chinese traders into the micro enterprise sector had worsened competition in an already over-crowded informal economy, which supported the bulk of the labour force.
Sata said the private investors from China enjoyed an unfair advantage over their competitors in Zambia because they had access to generous Chinese government loans and grants provided only to Chinese nationals and enterprises through the Bank of China, which had opened branches in Lusaka and the Copperbelt.
Sata said the increased clout of the Chinese in Africa had a bearing on consolidation of democracy and a culture of respect for human rights, because China did not subscribe to democracy and was inconsistent in upholding human rights at home.
"We should also bear in mind that poverty in Africa is pervasive, and has hardly spared any one, including the political leaders. The Chinese are aware of this, and are preying on the poverty of many African political leaders," he said.
He asked Africans to engage China in a more intelligent manner than they were currently doing.
Sata said the development of Africa and its people could not be achieved on the basis of designs and strategies of other people.
"The Africans ought to take responsibility and protect their heritage and the future of those yet to come. It is, therefore, critical for African countries to review their engagement with China," Sata said.
"The foreign policies of African countries should be based on the universal values of democracy, good governance, protection and respect for human rights. A human rights approach to policy formulation in Africa would guarantee human dignity and peace.
"It is for this reason that the Patriotic Front in Zambia finds it more prudent to cultivate relations with Taiwan, a democracy and a more advanced country than China, which can provide high quality investment and more equitable trading opportunities."
Labels: CHINESE, FDI, SATA
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Chinese ambassador defends his nationals
By Patson Chilemba
Friday August 17, 2007 [04:00]
CHINESE Ambassador to Zambia Li Qiangmin has said some politicians' attacks against Chinese investors were unjustified. And Ambassador Li has said Zambia was currently among the main beneficiaries of Chinese investment.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Li said the urge by the West for African countries to be careful in their dealings with China was because the Africa-China co-operation had posed a challenge to the unfair and unjust international economic and political order. He said China's relations with African countries were very open and aimed at pursuing mutual benefits.
In an interview, Ambassador Li said the allegations against the Chinese investors were not true. Ambassador Li said China was a fast developing country and a very important country to the world and that no one could neglect its friendship.
"The Zambian government and most Zambian people are friendly to China, and that only few politicians tried to do something to attract public attention, win the support of the people and pursue their own personal interests," Ambassador Li said. "I want to use this opportunity to tell our Zambian friends that don't be misled. Any irresponsible remarks against China are short sighted."
Ambassador Li said most Zambians appreciated Chinese investment except for a few.
And Ambassador Qiangmin said Chinese investors have brought a lot of benefits to Zambia.
"So far, China's direct investment to Zambia is more than US$500 million. We employ more than 20,000 Zambians. Also we have a lot of exchange programmes in the cultural, public health, educational and military fields," Ambassador Li said.
"There are companies, for example, that deal in the manufacture of tractors, a very successful example is ZTE and Huawei Technology. Those are telecom companies. Most of the telephone equipment you use are from these companies."
Asked on the allegations that Chinese were handling jobs, which Zambians could handle, Ambassador Li said most products the Chinese produced could not be produced by Zambians.
"Frankly speaking, many consumables needed by the Zambian people cannot be produced by the Zambian people. You need to import," Ambassador Qiangmin said. "Probably you will just spend one-tenth, one-fifth or at most half the price to import similar products from China."
Ambassador Li said China produced cheap but good quality products. He said Chinese goods coming into Zambia were those that were needed for the Zambian market.
However, Ambassador Li said the Chinese government was encouraging their nationals to get more into technology transfer than just trade.
Ambassador Li also said the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Line and the government building and setting up of Mulungushi Textiles had brought a lot of benefits to Zambia.
Asked on the situation in Zimbabwe, Ambassador Li said the problems facing Zimbabwe should be resolved by the Zimbabwean people and believed that the people in southern Africa were able to work together and find a solution that was acceptable to the region.
"Sanctions and the pressure were not the way out. Dialogue and consultation would provide the best solution," he said.
Labels: AMBASSADOR, CHINESE
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Chinese firm to set up tractor assembly plant
By CHIWOYU SINYANGWE
A CHINESE manufacturing company specialised in agriculture tractors, Benye Tractor Corporation, is to set up an assembly plant to serve the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region. And Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, Ben Kapita has urged the private sector in the country to take a lead in providing affordable and suitable equipment to the small scale farmers in the country to enable them graduate to commercial status.
Benye Tractor Corporation is a Chinese company that mainly specialises in Benye brand BY20-80 horsepower wheeled tractors.
S.K Agri Supplies Limited board chairman, Sebastian Kopulande revealed in Lusaka said that currently the company is focusing on going into partnership with the co-operative movements in the country at production, processing and marketing levels.
“In the near future, the Benye Tractor will be assembled in Zambia to serve the SADC region,” said Mr Kopulande whose company is the exclusive franchise of the products of Benye Tractor Corporation.
He was speaking during the official launch of S.K Agri Supplies Limited at the on-going 81st Agricultural and Commercial Show over the weekend.
The partnership between S.K Agri Supplies Limited and Benye Tractor Corporation had been financed with lease finance from Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited.
Mr Kopulande who is also chairperson of the Zambia-China Business Association said the co-operative movement was the anchor of the future of agriculture in Zambia and therefore needed support from both the private sector and Government.
At the same occasion, Mr Kapita called for strengthening of public private sector in the country to increase productivity among small-scale farmers. Mr Kapita said there was need for the private sector in the country to provide small and affordable tractors and other farming equipment to small-scale farmers.
“Farmers are tired of ‘Kambwili’, hand hole, in tiling the land. The hand hole is not only strenuous and very limiting in terms of expansion of hectarage under cultivation,”
“It is my hope that companies such as S.K Agri Supplies Limited will play a leading role in supplying small but affordable tractors to small scale farmers,” Mr Kapita said.
Among the equipment that S.K Agri Supplies Limited would supply include tractors and implements, irrigation equipment, agro processing equipment, and power generation equipment.
Others are land preparation equipments, farm transport and forklifts, motorcycles and bicycles.
Labels: CHINESE, MANUFACTURING, TRACTORISATION
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Workers' safety
By Concerned Citizen
Sunday July 08, 2007 [04:00]
Magande’s comments about the Chinese investors not exploiting Zambian people cannot go without comment. I’m Zambia living in England and I definately heard what the finance minister said. Its actually amazing that such an educated man doesn’t know what is happening in his own land. What is he saying, that the government didn’t hear about people who died in Chambeshi at the mine being run by the Chinese?
What is going to take for the government to realise we are losing lives and people in the name of investment. Chinese people compromise the safety of our people and no one seems to care.
I would really like to know among other people that want to know, what was the verdict on the investigations at Chambeshi mine where over forty people died?
Its very painful to hear people that in the forefront of running our country pretend not to know how the safety of miners is being compromised. Please our government you may not be directly involved with people whose lives are at risk, but these are Zambians and brothers and they need protection and if it means getting rid of people that are exploiting us, so be it. I rest my case and wait to hear what the government is going to do about it.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=28767
The Church and good governance
By Malama Sokoni
Monday July 09, 2007 [04:00]
The former vice-president Dr Nevers Mumba is at pains that a response to a fellow member of the clergy should be done in the public domain but has no option since that is the avenue that Rev Thomas Lumba chose when he wrote in The Post of July 6, 2007 a letter under heading “Attacking the Church”, intentionally directed at Dr Nevers Mumba; even when other means existed for Rev Lumba to seek clarity upon what he was misinformed about.
It is hoped that Rev Lumba will appreciate that the former vice-president has a duty to maintain his public image and as such his letter will be responded to in order to set the record straight.
The Church and indeed the nation are aware that when Dr Mumba responded to the call for entering politics, Rev Lumba in his capacity as Director of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), was the first to condemn his fellow clergy and relentlessly sought to influence the Church in general and other faint-hearted Christians against Dr Mumba.
However, the tide has changed and it must be very hard for Rev Lumba to live with the fact that the Church in general has realised their role in governance issues and will not be cowed down into silence by voices like his.
Unless Rev Lumba is a stranger to Zambian politics, he must know that Dr Nevers Mumba was actively involved in fighting the third-term campaign, then as President of the National Citizens Coalition (NCC) and worked in close collaboration with the Oasis Forum, participating in various activities and sharing the podium with several political, civic, religious and ordinary citizens who at the time felt aggrieved. As Republican vice-president, Dr Mumba collaborated very well with His Excellency President Patrick Mwanawasa SC, in ensuring that the present-day constitutional process was embarked on and has been diligently committed to this process even before then. It is erroneous for Rev Lumba to mislead the nation by alleging that Mumba was not there when the Church was voicing out for a better constitution.
Contrary to what Rev Lumba is insinuating, Dr Mumba has a record of being committed to the cause of justice and utmost service for his country. Therefore, it becomes morally incorrect to assume that the former Republican vice-president would not have the audacity to speak the way he did had he been in MMD and at worst that is very cheap political propaganda and religious manipulation by Rev Lumba.
Dr Nevers Mumba is alive to the fact that the church mother bodies have played a very important role in the life of this nation. His message to the church members was for them to develop interest in issues of national importance in order to acquaint themselves with the constitutional process and others important national issues.
It is therefore the duty of all Church mother bodies to motivate their members to interact with documents such as the present Constitution and the Willa Mung’omba Draft Constitution and that is what responsible citizenship demands. Dr Mumba has a lot of regard for the church mother bodies and the Churches in general and would never want to antagonise the Church in the process of national building. Dr Mumba is alive to the fact that the Church can do better and his advice was never construed to disparage the effort made by the church in general in the past. Rather, it was to implore the Church to become more proactive.
We take Rev Lumba’s attacks as being emotionally driven but we are wise enough to note at this stage that in the struggle to better our nation, some of our colleagues will betray the cause and choose to condemn everything that comes into contact with their sight. Rev Lumba finds himself in this position due to gross misinformation and misunderstanding that can only be blamed on him as a person.
Unfortunately, his illusion is such that misunderstanding has become understanding to him because he has decided to misunderstand. They say that if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything else looks like a nail, and unfortunately that is Rev Lumba’s predicament. It is therefore possible that according to Rev Lumba, Dr Nevers Mumba will never say or do what will please him.
This is often the case when people like Rev Lumba who were absent from the meeting will want to comment on a meeting he did not attend and that is why we find it hard to appreciate his input because not even the article covering Dr Mumba’s message to the Christian fraternity warrants such a reaction from Rev Lumba.
This is equivalent to trying to collect the smoke, leaving the fire and is strange because it is coming from a senior member of the clergy. So then what is Rev Lumba’s problem with Dr Mumba that he deliberately ignored the importance of interacting with facts and hence reacting to a good message out of context? They say envy digs the mud which jealousy throws at success and that is the conclusion of Rev Lumba’s reaction.
That said, Dr Mumba wishes to maintain the same position and further encourage the Church that it can do better, in ensuring that Zambia gets to the promised land.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=28769
Moral decay
By Mobbray Mwewa
Monday July 09, 2007 [04:02]
I would like to remind Kalikonga Singogo who is insisting on marrying his niece that we are human beings and not wild animals.
It is only wild animals which cannot distinguish between a brother, sister, mother, father, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew and cousin. The only distinction wild animals can draw is between male and female. This man should know that if he has already had carnal knowledge of his niece he is insisting on marrying.
To me this marriage he is insisting on is worse than homosexual marriage. How can your biological sister become your mother-in-law? This is what it will come to if this man goes ahead to marry his niece.
Worse still, the offspring from this marriage will be his sister’s grandchildren. How can the grandmother of my children be my sister? This is not normal.
Does Singogo realise the embarrassment he is causing to the family and mankind as a whole? My advice is that the elders in this family should stand firm and stop this rot.
Labels: CHINESE, FDI, FIRST COUSIN MARRIAGE, NEVERS MUMBA
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Leave us alone, Levy tells West
By Namakau Nalumango in Ndola
Sunday July 08, 2007 [04:00]
PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa has urged European and western countries to stop treating African governments as infants in their dealings with China. And President Mwanawasa yesterday asked former miners who planned to demonstrate against Chambishi Mines’ intention to build a smelter not to go ahead because they were just going to discourage people who wanted to bring investment in the country.
Speaking on arrival at Ndola International Airport, President Mwanawasa wondered why it had become a major concern for the western countries to get concerned when African countries traded with China while it was alright for them to do so.
“I don’t know why it has become a major concern to the western countries. Unfortunately, our friends in the opposition have also jumped on the bandwagon to criticise as if they are prepared to offer better things,” he said.
“For the benefit of the opposition who do not know, Europe has trade with China. As of last year, UK exceeded its quota. So it is alright for them to import from China but wrong for us? Leave us alone. Stop treating us as adult infants. We are capable of looking after ourselves. Government is capable of deciding which things are good for the people.”
President Mwanawasa said he had been to China twice and had seen how advanced and clean that country was compared to other developed countries.
“I have been to the UK, USA, France, Italy and Japan. I can say without any contradiction, their development cannot be compared to these other countries except for Japan. They are not even as clean as China. I always wonder how we can achieve one tenth of what they have developed,” he said.
And President Mwanawasa called on former-miners who planned a demonstration against Chambishi Mines’ intention of building a smelter not to go ahead because they were just going to discourage people who wanted to bring investment in the country.
“I was reading a report about some ex-miners who want to demonstrate, saying they don’t want Chambishi to build a smelter and are requesting that government should give them the land so that they can cultivate maize and groundnuts,” he said.
He wondered how the ex-miners could be saying that growing maize and groundnuts was more important than something that was going to benefit the nation.
He said the ex-miners forgot that the smelter was going to add to the growth of the economy. “Amabala aya mataba ne mbalala balefwaya, (the fields for maize and groundnuts they want), we can give them more land Kumushi (in the village). There is plenty of land there for them to do farming,” President Mwanawasa advised.
On the construction of the ultra modern stadium in Ndola, President Mwanawasa disclosed that a team of Chinese experts would be in the country this month to see the site. He said the construction would provide employment for the people.
“They are not coming here to do politics. We’ll do politics ourselves for us to be happy and be able to facilitate development not how you are going to bring heaven on earth,” he said.
President Mwanawasa also said the Chinese were partnering with Zesco to develop hydro electricity plant in the lower Kafue Gorge. He urged Zambians to appreciate the Chinese investment because it came without any strings attached.
“Offers have been made in the past for us to accept money only if we do something in return. I said no; with the Chinese, I haven’t seen any string attached. If anything, can I be allowed to say what honourable Magande said ‘if those strings are made of nylon, I can’t see them’,” he said
Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima disclosed that the government had released money for capital projects in the province.
Copperbelt MMD chairman Terence Findlay said the Chinese investors had resuscitated the economy of the province because they were doing a lot of work in Chambishi.
Labels: CHINESE, COPPERBELT PROVINCE, MWANAWASA
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Magande and Chinese investors
By Concerned Zambian
Friday July 06, 2007 [04:00]
I was disgusted by finance minister Ngandu Magande’s statement on Chinese investors in Zambia. During a BBC programme on the Chinese investors in Zambia exploiting our people (miners), a Chinese manager when asked denied that anything of that sort was taking place.
One of the miners said they were forced to work under dangerous conditions and their pay was pathetic. When Magande was interviewed he said he had no idea such things were happening in Zambia. I wondered whether he was deaf and blind or he was just playing with our minds!
The so-called Chinese investors are exploiting our brothers for very little money and yet the government says they don’t know.
My brother was a victim of the disaster that happened at Chambishi Mine so I know that such exploitation is going on under the government’s nose.
I am really disgusted by the finance minister’s statement. I stand to be corrected if I heard him wrong but, if that’s what he said, he should not be selfish over the interests of his fellow citizens.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=28640
Zesco services
By George Mwale,PHI resident
Friday July 06, 2007 [04:00]
I wish to register my disappointment over the so-called Zesco services. I've been staying in Presidential Housing Initiative (PHI) area in Chainama for over three years now and the problem we've had is that of having blackouts and power outages almost on a daily basis.
Complaints have been lodged in and nothing seems to be working. All that we get when we call the customer services is that "our engineers are on the ground sorting out the problem".
For how long?
These blackouts and power outages happen at awkward times when a meal is being prepared. Is it that load shedding was only meant for PHI in Chainama? As a resident I have had my electrical appliances and perisheable goods damaged. The probability of being compensated by Zesco is zero.
Can we phase out the Sisala administration because it has failed us as consumers. Twanaka (we've had enough) of these poor services.
I wish there was another electricty company especially here in Lusaka just like mobile telephone providers. I believe a lot of consumers like me would have switched to a better service provider.
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