By CHARLES MUSONDA
The Cleaning Association of Zambia (CAZ) has demanded that Kansanshi Mine Plc terminates a laundry cleaning contract awarded to Mr. Clean Limited because cleaning contracts are a preserve of Zambians.
In an interview, CAZ president Lawrence Makumbi said Statutory Instrument number 22 of 2019 has made cleaning a preserve of Zambian companies.
Mr. Makumbi said Mr. Clean is a South African owned company that came into Zambia with Shoprite in 1995.
He said the company’s growth in Zambia has been supported by foreign companies and it has allegedly been shielded from any competition at Shoprite for 27 about years at all its outlets countrywide.
Mr. Makumbi said the company is now getting contracts and business that Zambians can compete for at Kansanshi.
He called on Government security wings to work flat out and root out any perceived underhand methods in the awarding of cleaning contracts.
He said it is unfair to disadvantage Zambians by deliberately choosing to contract a foreign-owned company on such simple works.
Mr. Makumbi said there is no expatriate expertise needed for washing miners’ clothes and that Zambians must not be treated as second class citizens in their own country.
He called on President Hakainde Hichilema and his government to ensure that everyone observes and adheres to laws that promote and protect Zambians’ business interests.
