- Ms Kapata said reports of illegal dealings in the Mukula transit deal are disturbing and that the government will not hesitate to stop the Congelese from transporting Mukula through Zambia.
By PETER SICHALI
GOVERNMENT will not hesitate to cancel the Zambia-Congo Mukula transit deal if claims that illegal dealers have taken advantage of the deal to export Zambian Mukula, Minister of Lands Jean Kapata has said.
Ms Kapata has directed the Central Joint Operations to invest the claims and report to the ministry as soon as possible.
Ms Kapata said reports of illegal dealings in the Mukula transit deal are disturbing and that the government will not hesitate to stop the Congelese from transporting Mukula through Zambia.
“I have instructed the Central Joint Operations Committee to investigate claims that Zambian Mukula is being exported illegally,” Ms Kapata said.
She said Zambia will disregard the SADC protocol to allow Congo to transit Mukula truck loads through Zambia if the investigation prove that they are issuing papers for Zambians to illegally export Mukula.
“There is a protocol that compels SADC region countries to allow passage of goods through another country but if indeed the Congelese are issuing papers to allow for illegal export of Mukula, then we will have no other choice but to cancel the transit deal,” Ms Kapata said.
Ms Kapata said CJOC will move in as quickly as possible to countercheck the claims.
“As a ministry we cannot deny that it’s not happening instead I’m instructing the CJOC to move to ascertain what is on the ground,” Ms Kapata said.
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