By RUTH YAMBAYAMBA
KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) transition process will take less than 90 days, Paul Kabuswe, the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development has announced.
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Mr Kabuswe has therefore appealed to local contractors and suppliers to exercise patience as the process will be done as soon as possible.
The minister says Government is doing all it can to expedite the transition process so that the mine could come back to life.
Mr Kabuswe said Government wanted to ensure that the process of handing over KCM to Vedanta Resources was completed in the shortest possible time so that it could start to operate at its full capacity.
Mr Kabuswe was speaking when Diaspora Advocacy Center (DAC), handed over a petition against the return of Glencore at Mopani Copper Mine.
DAC has alleged that Glencore is on the verge of taking over Mopani Copper Mine through its proxy minority company, which was among the potential investors to take over the operations.
And commenting on the matter, Mr Kabuswe said Government would ensure that an investor with good reputation should be given the power to run the mine.
He said Government wanted to engage an investor that would bring change to the mine for the betterment of the Zambians.
Mr Kabuswe said Government was aware that brining in an investor that had no good intentions for the mine would have an impact on the country’s efforts to attain economic growth.
“I have received the petition, my role is just to receive it and I will not comment as to your concerns here because I am a minister of government and government needs to study is all about and the other things will follow,” he said.
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