By NATION REPORTER
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema would hesitantly agree that bringing back Vedanta to run the Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) is one of the most difficult decisions his UPND government has had to make, Patriotic Front (PF) Chairman for Mobilisation Bowman Lusambo has observed.
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Mr. Lusambo said on Wednesday that the bringing back of Vedanta to run KCM cannot be celebrated by people on the Copperbelt because they are still alive to the suffering they endured under the company.
“I am from the Copperbelt myself. Which people on the Copperbelt are celebrating the returning of KCM to Vedanta?” wondered Mr. Lusambo.
Mr. Lusambo said Vedanta was not a trustworthy company. He said Vedanta has failed to deliver on any of its investment promises to different regimes that have been in government in the past.
“They have made a lot of promises and pledges, but where is Vedanta going to get the money from that they failed to do under the PF? Ask Derrick Chilundika [UPND Nchanga Member of Parliament] about Vedanta and whether the people are going to benefit.
“For President Hichilema, if you asked him privately, he would admit that it was difficult for his government to give back KCM to Vedanta. President Hichilema knows it is a very difficult decision that has made,” said Mr. Lusambo.
He said Vedanta does not have the kind of money they have promised the Zambian government that they will plough into KCM and will have to borrow, which he said the Zambian government may as well have done.
“For us [PF], we wanted both KCM and Mopani Copper Mines to be owned and run by Zambians. Vedanta will borrow money to run KCM. You mean Zambia cannot borrow to run these mines as well?” said Mr. Lusambo.
And a recorded video footage obtained by the Daily Nation captures Nchanga UPND Member of Parliament Mr. Chilundika saying Vedanta has no place in KCM and neither does it have a place in Nchanga.
Mr. Chilundika goes on to say the social contract between Vedanta and the people of Nchanga collapsed irretrievably a long time ago and they are NOT investors that the people of Nchanga can ever think of bringing back.
Mr. Chilundika says Vedanta have historically proven that they do not live by their word: “They are not investors that we can invite and work with us, because they have proved that they are an investor of promissory notes. They are never practical. They promised the MMD government, we saw it, they couldn’t actualize [their promises]. They promised the PF government that they were going to bring in US$5 million, they never did it. Where is the guarantee that if they make these promises under the new dawn government that they will deliver?”
He said contractors and suppliers were not getting paid their monies for the services rendered to Vedanta, saying the people of Nchanga said; “NO, they are not worth returning.”
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