Katumbi seeks explanation over DRC border post blackout
By Kabanda Chulu and Abigail Chaponda in Kitwe
Tue 14 Sep. 2010, 20:50 CAT
COPPERBELT permanent secretary Villie Lombanya yesterday said the Zambian government was not involved in the recent switching off of electricity at Sakania border post on the DR Congo’s side.
Explaining the presence of DR Congo’s Katanga Province Governor Moise Katumbi in Ndola last week, Lombanya said the standoff that resulted in the closure of the border post was between Frontier Mines and the Congolese government.
“The issue (switching off power) had nothing to do with the Zambian government but it was because of a dispute between First Quantum Minerals-owned Frontier Mines and the DR Congo government which withdrew the mining licence and the mines switched off power at the open-pit, hence affecting surrounding communities including the border post,” said Lombanya.
“Frontier Mines used to buy power from Copperbelt Energy which has a sub-station and transmission lines that side and into the Congo, and when the mines were told to close and leave, they also decided to switch off power, and Katumbi came to see us with a view to helping resolve the issue of which we did and power was restored last Friday.”
And a source at Frontier Mines disclosed that the open-pit had been closed and everyone, including expatriate managers, had started going back to their respective countries.
“People have started going back to their countries, and the situation is bad; the only person to give all the details is the Governor Katumbi,” said the source.
On 1st September 2010, the DR Congo withdrew FQM’s mining licence and ordered the company to stop all mining activities and leave the country, and the titles owned by FQM at Frontier Mines were given to the Congolese government-owned Sodimico Mining.
After the mines closure, FQM chief executive officer Philip Pascall issued a statement, claiming that the DR Congo was retaliating over the FQM’s decision to start the arbitration process regarding its Kolwezi project.
He stated that FQM took the DR Congo government to the International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration after the State, in August 2009, revoked its mining licence for the Kolwezi tailings project (a copper/cobalt project in the Katanga Province), where the company had already spent US $750-million in acquiring and developing the property.
“The withdrawal of the exploitation permit for the Frontier mine is contrary to the DR Congo’s laws and the mining code and FQM will continue to advance its rights through international arbitration with respect to the Kolwezi project and now the Frontier mine and will pursue all other legal remedies available against third parties seeking enrichment through interference with First Quantum's legal rights,” stated Pascall.
Labels: BORDER POSTS, DRC, Moses Katumbi, VILLIE LOMBANYA
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Use empowerment funds to improve livelihoods, CEEC challenges Zambians
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Thu 01 Apr. 2010, 04:00 CAT
CEEC director general Mable Mungomba has challenged Zambians to use empowerment funds as a catalyst to improve their livelihoods through embarking on economically viable projects.
And Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Villie Lombanya has advised people in his province to take advantage of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) and realise that not only the mines can provide ‘three meals a day’ on the table.
During a stakeholder consultative meeting with Fisenge Dairy Farmers’ Cooperatives to see how CEEC could finance some of the projects being undertaken, Mungomba said the Commission was considering a three way business model that would result in increased productivity of dairy herd as well as increasing production of horticulture crops and fodder.
She said the CEEC funded three way-business model would aim at increasing Fisenge dairy farmers’ productivity to include full utilisation of their farm areas by involving crop production as well as growing animal foodstuff throughout the year.
Mungomba said people should start looking at empowerment in a broader way.
“The model we want to implement in Fisenge is workable and it will change the lives of many people since already these farmers are doing it and CEEC should just be used as a catalyst to improve on what they are doing through implementing economically viable projects,” said Mungomba.
“We have realised that there is need to have animals that can be able to produce on average of 20 litres of milk per day and we shall go flat out to search for these required breeds and also farmers don’t get higher yields because their farms are not mechanised hence we shall partner with Saro Agro to supply irrigation equipment and Amiran Limited to help provide extension services when implementing the three way business model for Fisenge Dairy.”
And commissioning the Mukuba Breweries plant in Kitwe, Commerce Deputy Minister Lwipa Puma said CEEC was not a social fund.
“It is given out with a view that people pay back. It is a revolving fund and government would like to see CEEC to be self-reliant through those loans that will be paid back,” said Dr Puma.
And Lombanya said there was need as a country to move away from metal-based economy.
“… Let us think of things to do and not just queue at the mine’s offices. People should take advantage of the CEEC funds and implement workable projects,” said Lombanya.
Mukuba Breweries got K480 million from the CEEC as part of its working capital after facing problems in starting production following the acquisition of plant machinery.
Labels: CEEC, MABLE MUNG'OMBA, VILLIE LOMBANYA
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DR Congo urges enhanced security ties with Zambia
Written by Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Thursday, May 07, 2009 3:13:46 PM
CONGOLESE provincial interior and cultural affairs minister Jean Marie Dikanga Kazadi has said it is important for Zambia and Congo DR to have security sub-committee meetings often to enhance security between the two countries.
Kazadi, prior to a security sub-committee meeting at Cabinet office in Ndola yesterday, said it was vital for the two countries to exchange ideas on common points.
"We are happy to be here and I am sure that what we are going to discuss is going to strengthen relations between our countries. We are happy that the Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima and Katanga Province governor Moses Katumbi had cemented relations between our countries which showed that we were one family," Kazadi said. "We are brothers and if we have issues, we should be able to dialogue. And we should be able to meet often so that we can discuss common interests. We assure you permanent secretary that we are ready for any meeting that you are going to call, just invite us."
And Copperbelt Province permanent secretary Villie Lombanya said Kazadi's presence was an indication that Zambian and DRC were close members of the same family.
"I hope that the few issues that we are going to discus will be in a brotherly manner. Let us discuss the issues in a spirit of brotherhood so that we can show that we love each other," said Lombanya. "I also want thank the Congolese government for the way they handled the maize issue. Thank you for the efforts you made in resolving the issue. There should be dialogue between our countries; it helps a lot."
Labels: DRC, SECURITY, VILLIE LOMBANYA
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