OPPOSITION Patriotic Front (PF) Kalulushi Member of Parliament (MP) Anson Simama has advised fellow MPs against attacking mining investors but instead develop a cordial relationship with them because they were partners in development.
Mr Simama said he would never behave like some of his fellow opposition colleagues who were always attacking mining investors in the media when they are supposed to dialogue and resolve various issues so that they work together to improve the lives of people in their areas.
He said investors in the mining industry or any other sectors were partners in development and so it was imperative that MPs developed a cordial and warm relationship with them, instead of attacking them in the media on issues that could be resolved through dialogue.
Mr Simama was speaking in an interview on Thursday after meeting Chambishi Metals chief executive officer Derek Webstock to discuss matters of how the company could help the community in various ways through its corporate social responsibility.
Mr Simama, who had also visited Chibuluma South Mine last week said his interest was to create and develop a good relationship with mining and other investors in the constituency so that he could work together with them to improve people’s lives.
“I don’t want to gain political mileage by attacking or insulting people in the media, but I want to gain political mileage by doing things that would improve people’s lives.
This is why I am meeting mining companies in the constituency to discuss matters of how the company could help the community in various ways through its social corporate responsibility,” Mr Simama said.
And Mr Simama has said he was happy that the meeting with both Chambishi Metals and Chibuluma South Mine were successful and the two mining companies were eager to work with him to improve the lives of the people.
He said both companies were involved in community projects that aimed at improving the health, education and other sectors in their areas.
He said Chibuluma South Mine was involved in the provision of Free Anti-Retro-Viral (ARVs) in the community, the Roll-back malaria programme and maintained its workers even in the face of the global economic recession.
Chambishi Metals was among other things supporting St-Nicholas School in Chambishi where it had spent more than K5 billion on its maintenance and was planning to expand it.
[Times of Zambia]
I am sure Simama does not know what is on the ground. I salute MPs that speak the truth about the much spoken about investors. As long as the investors do not look after the Zambians well our mouth pieces,MP, will continue to react. If he is afraid of the investors and opt to paint a good picture when things are bad then he does not deserve to be Kalulushi MP. Sad he is condemining his friends in the press rather than talk to them at Parliament motel.
Simama should just shut up and wait for his exit next year. The man is a crooked MP who because of his love for money got compromised beyond redemption. He wants a favour from the MMD. Anyways he may be adopted MMD as MP in Kalulushi but will surely fail to win the sit. 2011 all rebel MPs kuya bebele.
2010, you comment doesnt fully guide anyone but instead adds injury to a sore. Lets be a simplist as possible. MP’s too must know their role and power vested in them by the electorate. Simama’s observation is most welcome. Lets not fight the investors at all. These investors just like anyone else are taking advantage of the weak laws especially labour. The MP’s are law makers and thus what Simama must do after his extensive scoping exercise is to go back the parliament and start pushing for amendments to the flaws in our legal system. Do not just be driven by emotions and mob psychology instead stay still and see where our weak points are and seal them.
Before the investors came to Zambia, our people where dying of hunger because they had no jobs. If anything, we need the investors more than they need us. Only when we have created enough wealth to support our people by ourselves can we talk of soting out investors. Zambians are too short sighted to wait for the fruits to flourish or the crop to grow. They want results now!… or else they threaten tribalist and regional war! Its no wonder our kids future’s are doomed.
@4 great take, here is my two ngwee. Simama speaks this way because he belongs to a mining town. Yes indeed my eyes opened up, mps are part of the law making process, but how many of our elected officials even know what a bill is?
No.4 and 5. I also grew up on the copperbelt and am in support of Simama. Just like a farmer he waits for months or even years before he can smile. Including us as humans we take a period of time to grow and mature from being a baby to an adult and later on a leader. What we need is MP’s who understand what a bill is and not cadres, by air etc. Zambia has a long way to go and when you create a conducive environment then only can we start changing most of the investors requirement. The other nite I watched Given Lubinda on Muvi TV and I was disappointed with him he could not defend much of his outbursts, his own electorates where on the program and they challenged him. So we are really lacking real selfless leaders.
” OPPOSITION Patriotic Front (PF) Kalulushi Member of Parliament (MP) Anson Simama has advised fellow MPs against attacking mining investors but instead develop a cordial relationship with them because they were partners in development. ”
One question: How Much?
The PF and UPND should sort out any problem they have with taking money from the mines right now. It is a scandalous betrayal of the people and economy of Zambia, to allow mining companies not to pay any taxes at all. People are going without services, so scuzzy politicians can call the mining companies ‘their friends’. That is what has to change.
Not taxing the mines is treason.
3 Tracy Phiri,
” These investors just like anyone else are taking advantage of the weak laws especially labour. ”
Which is immoral and unethical, even when it is legal.
” The MP’s are law makers and thus what Simama must do after his extensive scoping exercise is to go back the parliament and start pushing for amendments to the flaws in our legal system. ”
Isn’t it clear from his statements, basically defending his friends, that he is never going to do any such thing?
This is the problem. The mines are corrupt, and they have bought and paid for their own representation in parliament. I will say it again – this is a direct betrayal of the Zambian people.
#3 Tracy Phiri you have a point, when you say the MP should go back to parliament and fight for good laws. But i suspects this guy is among the rebel MPs, i dont understand why he is attacking his fellow opposition. So its a clear sign he is among the rebels trying to get points from RB. The problem Zambia has is not the investors, whether chinese, european or whatever country the come from. The problem is government. 1 the windfall taxes have to be reintroduced, 2. labour laws have to be revisited, 3 Taxes on employees has to be reduced-this will give them more money to spend and more money in circulation. Investors are not there to develop zambia there there to make money. The windfall tax money is the money to develop zambia by Zambians.
I would like to find out this daft mp his opinion on the crap wages that his constituents at chambeshi copper smelter are getting.i have seen a payslip of a miner and he was getting 550,000 basic pay!how are u supozd 2 be cordial with that.some abuses your people and u r xpectd 2 be cordial?the job of any mp is to voice out the opinions,needs and fustrations of his constituents.not cool them down when they get pissed at been used and abused.
How very sad it is to have such an MP who does not understand the importance of defending the rights of not only the people he is representing in parliament but the country as whole. Going by what is currently prevailing in Zambia regarding these so called investors in conjunction with treatment in terms of wages they are giving to Zambian local employees, one would be obliged to economic slavery in Zambia has assumed very alarming proportions. Yet, not even the President, his vice nor those in goverment have ever spoken against this ill. What justification is there in awarding a so call an expatriate US$6000 where as a Zambian who is also doing the same job getting only US$500 ? Something MUST be done or else it us Zambians who are on the losing side.