By NATION REPORTER
ECONOMIC Front (EF) national spokesperson Humphrey Kabwe has said President Hakainde Hichilema and his Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe should stop playing games on Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) and Mopani Copper Mines (MCP) because a number of lives on the Copperbelt depend on the two mines.
Mr Kabwe said since the UPND assumed office in 2021, President Hichilema had visited the Copperbelt more than four times but had failed to provide solutions to KCM and MCM challenges.
Mr Kabwe said Zambians were surprised to see President Hichilema and his Mines Minister playing a hide and seek game on the two mines each time they visited the Copperbelt Province.
“While in opposition, you condemned the liquidation of KCM and government purchase of Mopani but surprisingly, you have also embraced the process which you strongly condemned. That is being hypocritical and lack of honesty,” Mr Kabwe said.
He has challenged the President and Mr Kabuswe to immediately disclose the people involved in the negotiations of KCM and Mopani Copper Mines and inform the nation the terms and conditions surrounding the negotiations.
Mr Kabwe said the two mines were public assets, thus it was unacceptable and retrogressive to continue with secret negotiations. He said local contractors, suppliers, mine unions and other stakeholders on the Copperbelt were sick and tired of the fun games the two were playing on KCM and Mopani.
“The residents on the Copperbelt are not interested in your rhetoric’s but rather they want to see the revamping of KCM and Mopani so that the economic activities and creation of jobs on the Copperbelt can be attained,” Mr Kabwe said.