CSOs vow to protest return of vedanta

By NATION REPORTER 

A CONSORTIUM of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has vowed to conduct a peaceful protests across the Copperbelt Province over the return of Vedanta despite the police denying them a permit.

Vedanta Must Return Community Campaign Movement coordinator Chishala Mwamba said on the 8th August, 2023, the CSOs submitted a letter notifying the Copperbelt Province authorities of their intentions to conduct simultaneous peaceful protests across the region to which they had been denied police permit.

He said as a movement comprising of various organisations across the Copperbelt Province, they believed they should be granted permission to conduct these peaceful protests as they were doing it in good faith.

Mr Mwamba said the over one 1000 members of their organisations were set to take part in these peaceful protests in a quest to see KCM and Mopani become functional again.

“Our protests hinge on the fact that hundreds of young people, women and miners are being subjected to extreme levels of poverty due to the non-functionality of the two mines. Just this month, more miners have not had their contracts renewed at KCM, salaries have been delayed, and many more are on forced leave,” Mr Mwamba said.

He said that was why after being denied this permit by the Copperbelt Police Division, they had instructed their members to be on standby as they made further engagements with the Minister of Home Affairs, Jack Mwiimbu, to enable them to proceed with our provincial peaceful protests on the 25th of this very month. 

“We also wish to take this opportunity to appeal to the Republican President, his Excellency Mr Hakainde Hichilema to look into this matter, perhaps through his experience as a seasoned negotiator and business man he can speed up the process and give life to the people of the Copperbelt,” he said.

Mr Mwamba said Vedanta resources had already made various commitments with regards to recapitalising KCM. Commitments ranging from investing millions of dollars in CSR activities, paying off suppliers, capital injection of over 1billion dollars, salary increments and much more.

“Therefore, as community members, we have every intention to proceed with those protests in Ndola at Cabinet Offices, in Mufulira, in Chingola and Chililabombwe on the 25th of this month,” he said.

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