Chishimba Kambwili challenges government to denounce illegal large-scale mining at KCM, believes high-ranking UPND officials involved in the scandal.
HE government has been challenged to conduct comprehensive investigations into reports that a mining firm, Sensele Mine is allegedly conducting large-scale illegal mining at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and allay fears that some politically connected leaders are involved in the scandal, Chishimba Kambwili has said.
Mr Kambwili says there are serious allegations that some high-ranking officials had vested interests in Sensele Mine and it was important that government should clear the fears that minerals were being looted at KCM.
He said it was only fair for government to state its position over allegations that Sensele Mine was conducting illegal mine at KCM because as things stood, there was a strong belief that some politically exposed persons were involved in the mining scandal.
Mr Kambwili said illegal mining had been there for a long time but on a small scale basis comprising jerabo’s and not what was being seen at the moment which was very well coordinated.
He said that the situation at KCM was shocking because Sensele Mine was mining with impunity and no one was stopping them, sparking speculations that the illegal mining had the blessings of the powers that be.
Mr Kambwili said during his tenure as a Minister, his constructing firm Mwamona Construction did not get any contract from government despite him overseeing a number of projects, especially in the Ministry of Sport.
“In 2012 when I was minister of sports I was tasked to oversee the hosting of the Zone Six Youth Games but my company did not get even a single contract because that was going to seem as if I used my influence to get the contracts,” Mr Kambwili said.
Mr Kambwili said the UPND government was not sincere and that was the reason why First Quantum Minerals was in the process of laying off over 2, 500 workers in the restructuring process.
He said the government indicated that they would change the tax regime to revamp the mining industry but had instead embarked on awarding tax holidays to mining firms at the expense of the country’s treasury.
Mr Kambwili said the UPND government had now been caught in a web of their own web lies as they were now failing to resolve the challenges facing the mining sector.
He said that the UPND government had even cancelled all his contracts at Mopani just because he was closely linked to the Patriotic Front (PF).
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