FINANCE and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has said about 2,000 jobs will be created at the new Kafue Lower Gorge power station which is part of the benefits from President Rupiah Banda’s trips abroad.
Dr Musokotwane said people advancing politics to development issues must conduct a research and establish the many benefits that President Banda’s trips were bringing to the nation.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Musokotwane said China Development Bank (CDB) offered to provide US$1 billion (787 million euros) for a planned hydroelectric station in Zambia and proposed a Chinese company to develop the project which is part of the benefits from the presidential international trips.
Civil society leaders sympathetic to the opposition political parties have condemned President Banda’s trips abroad claiming that they were costly.
Dr Musokotwane said it was not possible for the country to attract investors if the President would sit in State House through out his life because his job was to develop the country.
The minister reminded critics that President Banda met with the president of CBD, Jiang Chaoliang on one of his foreign trips at which the State-owned bank said the Beijing-based Sinohydro Corporation would develop the $1.5billion Kafue Gorge Lower power station.
Dr Musokotwane said more growth prospects would be recorded with continued meetings that were taking place each time the President traveled abroad.
He said following President Banda’s trip to Turkey, a team of investors had already been to Zambia to enquire in what areas they could invest in.
Dr Musokotwane said Turkish Airlines would operate between Lusaka and that country and that apart from the benefits of having to travel directly, there would be jobs created for Zambians.
“Opposition leaders must avoid cheap politics. We traveled to Turkey recently and investors have been coming to explore various areas of interest and more jobs will be created,” Dr Musokotwane said.
The minister said the economic growth being recorded had resulted from efforts that include trips abroad and that the Kafue Gorge Lower power station would boost electricity generation in the country.
Dr Musokotwane said the total cost of the project was about $1.5 billion and that China had already pledged to secure the funds and this would help in reducing electricity blackouts in the country.
Construction of the 600-megawatt project is due to begin next year but studies and preparatory works will start before the end of the year.
The Chinese bank has also pledged to provide financing of up to $1.4 billion for various projects, including the Kafue Gorge station.
He said more jobs were being created in the country while more foreign companies were opening up as a result of trips abroad.
Dr Musokotwane explained that Luanshya Copper Mines would have long closed if heads of State were not traveling outside Zambia to create friendships with foreign governments and donors.
He said the value of Presidential trips were difficult to measure and urged Zambians to avoid politicising good initiatives.
[Times of Zambia]
A little too late and not enough jobs considering how much he has spent on these trips.”Sorry not my kind of President”.
Well said Doc! Long overdue too. Ministers need to keep explaining Government programs so that the citizenry can understand that nothing is done haphazardly. Every trip that H.E. takes is planned fro and the benefits are known well before hand. Bravo!
UBUTUTU MULEKE MWEBENA ZED
Elo twalaletwa nomba naba Senior Citizen….. balaponta bad kind. Watch the pace.
Not the opposite? 1700 jobs have lost at Zamtel. Because of the senseless sale of Zamtel
2000 jobs of people earning K500 pin! Thanks but no thanks Mr Kamwendo M’njira.
A trip to LAP green has already lost 1700 jobs at Zamtel. And these 2000 promise, are they guaranteed or just usual fake projections. What kind jobs will these 2000 be. Usual Chinese slave conditions.
I think Dr Musokotwane should also explain in figures how much has been spent so far on these trips and not just give a one sided speech. It is unfortunate how low educated people can sink to secure their job. Everyone intelligent enough is able to see through the cracks. The same president traveling around comes back home and starts attacking the donors.
What is 2000 jobs compared to the money this Kamwendominjila is using for his trips? Whats is 2000 jobs for the overwhelming unemployment levels in Zambia let alone the the 700 plus which GreenN Lap is laying off? NONSENSE. Chi Banda NiChimfwiti Chamalaza or Mfwiti Chamaloza
liars… inflated jobs
how many in reality ??
we do not trust this govt
eg munali, maamba
The govt assured the miners that no one would lose employment after the new owners (Indian and Chinese companies) take over.
Then a lay off…
It’ fun
Today Finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane who is proud to announce that 2,000 jobs will be created thanks to banda
The same Situmbeko Musokotwane, former director of zccm, now member of zccm board as finance minister, who is responsible for the disaster of Luanshya…
comments of Ken Ramoutar Seecharran, a mining expert, on his blog, author of “Luanshya report” September 2009
THE INEPTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT’s INTELLIGENCE (ZCCM-IH), COULD NOT DECIPHER WHAT WAS GOING ON, DESPITE HAVING A FULLY-FLEDGED MINING PROFESSIONAL WITH A SEAT ON THE BOARD…….. AND THEY REMAINED IN THEIR HEIGHTENED STATE OF SOMNOLENCE, STYMIED BY THE RHETORIC OF THEIR PAYMASTER, TO WHICH THEY SLOVENLY AND OBSEQUIOUSLY CONDESCENDED, IN AN ATTEMPT TO PORTRAY
(continued)
THAT FALSE SUPERCILIOUSNESS, WHILE THE MINE COLLAPSED BEFORE THEIR INCOMPETENT EYES. A MODERN DAY EXAMPLE OF “NERO FIDDLING….AS ROME BURNED”, SAFELY ENSCONCED IN THEIR ZCCM-IH IVORY TOWER!!!!!!
—————-
What a great charlatan !!
Mike Te naukwata ilyashi! I totally agree with your sentiments. Above all, the projects are being done with borrowed money, by contractors from the very source of the money. Meaning, there will be no multiplier effect in the Zed economy as all the money will simply go back to China even before the hydro power station is commissioned. No Zambia kantemba company will supply anything, and very few graduates will be employed in real terms. Such projects should have been done using our money from minerals, as is the case with Chile, a copper producing country. These chaps have brought redicule on “education”, I hate to see their titles glorified, because they dont think. Absolute waste of education!! Only interested in winning elections hence the massive borrowing!!
Fee colour fyenu nama tow lay!!
It would be a little better if these 2,000 employees will be retained after the plant becomes operational, but if it is jobs for the period of construction then there is nothing to be proud of. Past experience has shown that Chinese labourers are employed on Chinese projects in Zambia. Perhaps he should tell us how many of these jobs will be reserved for Zambians.
Well it will generate electricity and Zambians as is the case with TAZARA will have the jobs after completeion. they will also supply material like poles, pay taxes, etc. Let us avoid being negative and always try to maximise benefits . Where we can do better lets advise accordingly like Fwaka has done in comment 13
What else can we expect to hear from Mr Musokotwane, he has a job to look after!
5 & 6 Exactly my thought. PHDs have been stashed away just to keep their miserable jobs. Hope they wont change their minds on RB just as they have done against Mwanawasa.
The learned Dokota!
You say 2000 jobs created, the benefits that accrue to the Zedians from RB’s visionless trips local and abroard.
Meanwhile Zamtel has shed 1700 jobs.
Here is arithmatic made simple bwana Dokota
2000 – 1700 = 300
Are we saying that we have created a further 300 jobs? Am saying NO! My simple reason here is that in the first place we lost jobs in the mines about 700.
So our physics principle would do well to remind the Dokota that WORK DONE by His Excellence = ZERO.
All broggers here especially from Mwadya Mweka Daddy (MMD) work up from your deep slumber and smell your coffee!
Ilukeni, galamukani, shibukeni abanenu baleiba, imwe mwatila chwechwechwechwe…
Dont campaign 4 Banda
CONGRATULATIONS ON 2000 JOBS WHICH ARE JUST FAKE PROMISES WHEN CHINA WILL COME WITH THEIR OWN. LAP GREEN 1700 REAL JOBS WITH REAL PAY LOST JUST LIKE THAT. WHAT A CARING GOVERNMENT. YOU ALSO PROMISED MORE JOBS WHEN ZAMTEL IS SOLD.
KEEP DREAMING
What kind of jobs? Can you seriously call casual jobs by the chinese to be jobs pliz spare us this nonsense. You are busy insulting donors at the same time you need investment? Musokotwane who cheated you that you are minister of finance you are just a policy reader for Rupiah even you you do not know wat is happening.
The problem with our leadership (From KK, FTJ, LPM and now RB) is that they perceive development in abstract form. They think that they can import development by bringing the Chinese, Indians, Europeans Americans and Japanese. What they ought to do first is to find out how China managed to be where they are. The Chinese had to expand from with their country. In fact they never even allowed foreigners to go there and sell finished products like we are doing in Zambia. Let us ask ourselves how our fore fathers managed to survive in the absence of foreign technologies. Reason is simple; they had built an intellect of survival and not the current intelligence we are acquiring through foreign type of education. The Chinese or any one else for that matter will never develop this country no…
The Chinese or any one else for that matter will never develop this country no matter how many foreign trips we make. All the foreigners are here for a profit and nothing else.
All this is ****ed up coz even if Banda’s trips can yield 2,000 jobs, the logic is this: ( 2000 jobs x 1000 million kwacha pay per month by Chinese = 2 billion kwacha which is less than the expenditure of ****in asss clowns trips if he travels more than twice in a month with an ass bill of more than 2 billion kwacha.So the whole shitee of ****in trips is just a 404.
=))=))
I am disappointed with the minister in his attempt to spin the aimless trips abroad. The Chinese would have brought their investments whoever was in charge in this country. China has a bigger agenda than being visited by leaders of third world countries! You just need to see what they are doing in Sudan, Congo, Angola and other countries and you can tell that they are on a bigger mission. The question is do African countries know what they want from their dealings with China?
I don’t even understand how I stopped up here, but I thought this put up was once great. I do not understand who you might be but definitely you’re going to a well-known blogger if you are not already. Cheers!