SCORES of residents in Chief Nkana in Lufwanyama yesterday ran amok and blocked all the roads leading to the mines in protest against the alleged tendency by local mining firms to employ people from other towns.
And police in Lufwanyama yesterday arrested two people in connection with the protests that took place around 07:00 hours.
Lufwanyama district commissioner Alex Kalela confirmed the development in an interview yesterday.
Mr Kalela said the residents burnt tyres at the junction of the roads to Grizzly, Kagem and Chibuluma mines.
“This morning, the residents in Chief Nkana’s area rioted. The residents are not happy that the mines are employing people from the surrounding towns instead of the local people,” he said.
Mr Kalela said the residents are angry that the local people are not benefiting from the district’s rich mineral wealth.
He said the local people want the mining firms to employ the youth who are just idling in villages due to lack of employment.
And police officers in riot gear were quickly deployed to the scene to quell the riot as most motorists were stranded because of the blocked roads.
Mr Kalela said two people have been arrested in connection with the protests and are detained at Kalulushi police station.
And Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary Tembo confirmed the development but she could not give further details as she was still waiting for a report from the officers in Lufwanyama.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Aba Lamba lwanya NOMBA. those mines have been in existance for years. Lambas have NOTHING to show for them. No modern Clinic, No Good Roads to Lufwanyama Only the chief they have bribed him with vehicles and money which he later lends as Kaloba to poor Villagers. what a shame.
Lambas should rise against their Chiefs.
i agree with you 100% the mines need to employ people from these villages but the senegalese and indians at kagem mines have been giving themselves jobs at expense of zambians.infact they should demand that the road which goes to the mines be tarred. y are they refusing to tar the road. am encouraging them to continue pressurising the mine owners to change through blocking that road. there is no development in the area it is just a bush and yet billions and billions of dollars leave the area to develop india,senegal,mali This is pathetic situation. lambas continue demonstrating…….enof is enof
Just get the required qualifications please
I support the claims by the local. If the reasons why they are left is becuase of lack skills, the company should provide training for them so that they are employable.
Why should a private company meddle in social affairs by providing training to a specific group of people? Education and skills development is the job of Government, not private sector.
MPHO thats a big expense if companies were to start training the locals just to employ them, why waste time training someone when you can get a qualified person..The locals should do something about their CVs thats all
oh come on. why should i pay for your education and then employ you when i dont even know you? the people should go for some minimum skills training then they can be employed. atleast it will show some commitment on their part. that is when a company can employ them & pay for their education. you can’t spend money on someone’s education when u don’t even know whether that person is interested in school. they should wake up & get some training or else they’ll be left behind by other people from other towns
but if the selection process is through other means such as nepotism, bribery then i support the uprising
What qualifications do you need to be a workman? Just employ them or leave their land, period. They can do a job on training.
At one point in time when zaffico used to process timber in partnership with Finland, as far as I can remember, the finish thought of improving the operation of their plant and brought in new and automated equipment which appeared to be a threat to the locals, For the locals in order to protect their JOBs the equipment was set on fire, The finish left, the locals lost their jobs Zaffico sold off the plant to now CFC.
hold on bloggers, in lufwanyama, there are no training facilities of any kind. while its no secret that foreigners like gunatsi, who came walking from whereever he came from, are making alot of money literally do nothing to uplift the living standards of the locals. if only our govt. can compel. them start to do so the better.
Literally doing nothing? How about CSR programs, taxes, job creation? Please, be mature – the things you are asking for should come from government, not private sector.
Well done LAMBA boys!! Even a sleepng dog can bite one day, govt must this issue. Who told you they have no skills? Lufwanyama has six chief from which they can tap labour from.
Witila lufyengo Taukweketefye isikulu.
This just a follow up to more jobs and more money. Never use deceit to assume power . this must be a lesson for all. dont say 90 days promiss was a light moment.
KONOCO employs from other towns leaving former miners with qualifications residing in Konkola township a stone throw away from mine. KCM and KONOCO gives business to outsiders leaving the local enterprenuers in the cold too. The earlier the quota system was introduced the better for everyone. 40 – 50% of the business should be done by the locals unless there is no capacity
Go for training and then compete for jobs on the market. That is all what is required. There is no two ways about it.You dont do that you will never stop complaining of victimisation. I have told my children the same message.That is how the world works.
It is difficult to force a Lamba into school…
Tell me what school teaches mining skills in Zambia? Not even the degree you get at UNZA is sufficient to teach mining skills!
By the way, you seem to confuse “education” to aquaring a “skill”! The difference between the two is like night and day, baba!!!!
@Engineer (process)
My friend, you are one dummy to ever crowed on this blog! Where on earth do companies worth their salt fail to train prospective employees? Why in God’s name are you lying?!
Of course companies would love to employ people who already have skills. But how many people out there possess skills that most companies are looking for? So it is up to these companies to train people in the skills they are looking for. This is done all the time even here in America. After all, these corporate ventures have to benefit the locals, right? Are these companies only in Zambia to make a quick buck and leave? If so, then we should all worry!
Ever heard of the term time is money?? I know some companies like KCM BOZ do sponsor a minimum number(1or 2 ) of students @ university or college. Companies are more interested in making money than anything else dont be deceived.. Remember what ZCCM did what company can do that in this time & era
Don’t be silly what qualifications do you need to HOLD a pick apart from been fit. who doesn’t know that you need to pay these HR people in these mines to get a job sometimes even double your salary. don’t comment for the sake of exposing your ignorance on important issues affecting the people.
So this mine requires only skilled labour? No general workers?????????? I cant bliev this, mining firms require man power a lot so does that need education??? Wat happened in Solwezi, the locals were employed to do manual work.
:d…the mine employed unskilled labour within this area..these guys want to be employed even if there are no more unskilled labour jobs…why not bring a skilled guy onboard from outside when the required skill is not available in the area…go to school guys….taking umusalu no tusabi ku market everyday wont help.
START CHASING EVERY SENEGALESE , MALIAN AND INDIANS WHO CAN NOT APPRECIATE THE LOCALS. CONTINUE DEMANDING WHAT IS YOPURS LAMBAS DON’T GIVE THEM CHANCE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO
am sure they are just employing those from muchinga,luapula en northern seeing th@ lambas are also deemed to be like buttocks by ukwa………………………..
THE FACTS HERE ARE THAT THESE MINERS ARE EMPLOYING APPROPRIATE ZAMBIANS. BEING A LOCAL DOES NOT QUALIFY ANY ONE TO BE LAZY AND STILL FIND A JOB.
I THINK THESE PEOPLE ARE KNOWN FOR SUCH. THE LESSON HERE IS THAT REFUSING TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR BASIC SKILL COZ OF A MINE IN YOUR BACKYARD IS FAKE.
A OF BEING A LOCAL…. HAHAHAHA
Can the chiefs in this area go and learn what their friends in Solwezi (kansashi and Lumwana) have done, there is a database created for all the employable locals and the mines have been able to get even unskilled labour from among the locals. Others have been trained from scratch by the same mines to do technical jobs.