Copperbelt residents who were directly and indirectly affected through the privatization process have supported calls for President Edgar Lungu to set up a commission of inquiry into the mismanagement of national assets.
The residents said this in Ndola after marching to Copperbelt Province Minister Hon Japhen Mwakalombe’s office to deliver a petition to be delivered to President Lungu.
Copperbelt Community Transformation Network Executive Director Pastor Steven Chewe, who led scores of Copperbelt residents, said the privatization process was well intended but that some people took advantage of this to enrich themselves.
Pastor Chewe said the residents want answers why some of those appointed to sale national assets decided to sale state assets cheaply.
He said the truth can only be reviewed if the commission of inquiry is set up by the President.
“We want answers why some of those who negotiated the sale of companies on the Copperbelt recommended the sale of mines at the lowest prices and we can only know if the commission of inquiry was set up. We want to know how the evaluation for sale of companies was done and if there was any wrongdoing,” he said.
Â
“Our belief is that the process was mismanaged, some of those seeking office today were the worst culprits in stealing from Zambians through underhand methods during privatization and we the people of CB must not trust them at all. Most of the suffering we are going through as the people of CB was because of the mismanaged privatization process and this is why we support the calls for a commission of inquiry into privatization.”
Â
He indicated that those who will have been found to have committed the wrongs and got rich because of taking advantage of the privatization of the mines and other assets should be held to account now.
And Hon Mwakalombe said the matters to do with privatization have nothing to do with the PF Government but that it’s the people who want to know what really transpired.
He assured the residents that they are not laboring in vain by submitting a petition to his office which should be delivered to the Head of State.
“As your Provincial Minister, I want to assure you that by bringing this petition you are not laboring in vain. I will surely delivery it to His Excellency President Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu for his consideration,” he said.
And Felistus Chileshe Chongo, whose husband lost a job and never received the benefits, lamented that a lot of people have suffered as a result of mismanagement of the privatization process.
The 82 year old said it was even difficult for her husband to take their children to school because they never received their dues.
This is not about Hakainde but let’s have inquiry once and for all. Privatisation was used for stealing
All those who bought council houses at K10 , all those who bought government pool houses and mine houses, are you sure you did not benefit from privatization? Some of you you bought your houses at K10, today what value have you put on your property?
Can we forgive HH and move on. Zambia belongs to us all. Not good idea to always disadvantage HH based on some wrongs done 20 years ago. Please let us move on Zambians. Inquiry won’t bring down Kwacha, won’t pay our debts
The criminality in Privatisation is what the Commission will unearth. People must begin to prepare for defence
Some Zambians are very dull indeed.
No wonder they elect leaders like Lungu. No wonder they are still poor, blaming innocent people for their poverty.
Deal with the Zambia right now.
Zambia owes more than 20 Billion USD.
The Kwacha is worth less than toilet paper.
HH is not your problem. Why are you people so bitter? HH employs thousands of Zambians.
Even Lungu eats beef and michopo from HH’s farms while drinking beer. Ask him.
These are the same dull Zambians who are going to vote in 2021 and you will be crying again u who are intelligent?
Ha ha ha ha
No matter how you try to legitimize your witch hunt with these paid cadres, the people have seen through your schemes. PF, your days are numbered.
Hakainde started this and now its decampagning him. The whites say let the sleeping dog lie.
How come all of them are wearing the same t shirts which ntwetwe and company were wearing at state house. One sponsor, one agenda – to stop HH. Unfortunately no matter how many t shirts you give out, those without t shirts will always be in the majority.
That is what idleness can do. Very unproductive time
I did not realise how much these characters fear HH.
The days of H2 are numbered. His past wrongdoings are now back again to haunt him
Why are we letting Lungu manipulate us like this. Well, looks like it’s game on. Anybody whose name comes up including Lungu should be crossed examined and treated according. If not then someone will have to explain this energy in this case.
Miners need give back houses they got for K10,000.
Question is why is UPND very scared of inquiry. Let them just prepare their leader to answer for how the hotel was sold in livingstone to himself. Hakainde is living dirty
After 20years from now people of Zambia will demand the commission of inquiry of our debts money where use ,they can not ask our they spending 20 billion us dollars by PF government ,
People made billions. HH and valentine Chitalu should be probed. Where did they get the millions of dollas.CB people you’re suffering coz of these few thieves in Zambia who claim to rich when they came from poor families.
Ignorance is bliss, indeed!
HH has even welcomed the enquiry, not sure why PF is panicking with these illegal protests. The privatization team had multiple specialized teams, just to educate the ignorant ones being misled, it was not a one man show. It was a government program and the government then was responsible, I am just trying to help those excited so that they can manage their expectations
To fix the exchange rate is very complex, the easier thing to do is to ask for the privatization enquiry, do these people understand the state of the economy and what the country has dropped to. Do they have priorities? Do they understand their role? Yes it was made clear that there was no vision but we did not understand it was to this very depressing level
This early campaign in name of privatisation is targetted at making people lose confidence in HH. ECZ must stop it. Why think about wrongs of past when we have too many wrongs now?
Moscow(op)Â October 5, 2020 At 7:38 pm
“…..CB people you’re suffering coz of these few thieves in Zambia who claim to rich when they came from poor families…..”
Did Bill gates come from a rich family ??
Who says because you come from a poor family , you can not be rich ??
Slave komboni mentality …..
Why cant PF and UPND stop accusing each other of corruption and focus on building the country? Personally, I won’t vote in 2021 because can’t see Leadership anywhere. 2 wrongs don’t make a right, let bygones be bygones
PLEASE GO AFTER THAT TRIBAL BOY HH. ABA TONGA BACHILAMO
Am really disappointed with those asking for an inquiry which hs no benefit to the Zambians, people wake up this leadership is manipulating us. We’re heading to the elections ad 2021 is few months, why hv they brought this issue now? Ad for wht? We hv serious issues to correct than the inquiry of privatization ad if they set up such, is it going to correct our economy, no!! Ad the same leadership are they one who hv put us in this mess,
Zambians wake up, they want to rig the elections, all those are gimmicks they are trying to come up, so tht they divert the attention from the real issue – elections, 30 days of registration, on-line registration, them campaigning whn the opposition not, etc. Let’s correct these gimmicks ad hv a free ad fair elections, PF doesn’t own this country,…
Opposition shall agree on common strategy as LF is bent upon disenfranchising HH. Let HH and his inner circle work out strategy yti prop up number 2, strong enough to best ECL and resuscitate HH
Failure to work now trying to blame privatization, first it was a drought blamed on HH, then climate change excuses, then covid which only came yesterday, real incompetence. Because of mediocrity the exchange rate is going hey wire, and even wanting to come and rule again, how sure
Proper failed project this PF thing. Youths are unemployed and PF think peddling privatization agenda will reduce HHs chances, sorry Zambians have already made up their minds, we cant fathom another five years of this mismanagement.
Some of u, u hv bn eating with thm now u a scared of change. If u dont vote, wht a u solving? It’s your right, ad nobody hs to force u,. Namulyamo we know your gimmicks. Muli ba greedy PF, we a tired ad we need change.
They didn’t listen to our cries, now they want us save them, why?
Nemwine @18 is an impostor. The real Nemwine is this one here. I think it’s time I quit this site. Serious blogs run by reputable publications don’t allow duplication of pen names. However, I fully welcome the probe into privatisation. It’s going to cost lots of money but since whn hv we had more sense than money to care about that? A drowning man will clutch at a straw. So let the probe begin.
All past presidents in zambia failed to deal WITH the post news paper,edger came and it Went down,prime tv Went down under edger.All presidents after chiluba failed to deal WITH privatisation issue,edger has started to unmask the ancestrial spirit of privatisation do you think he will fail?uwa fitala aka imwena says hh.
@Hamasaka, I agree with you entirely. Perpetual loser Under 5 should not be projected as a threat by setting up this Commission of Inquiry. I know deep down my heart that with or without the Inquiry he is headed for a sixer. Takatekepo.
HH posed a challenge and he said”if i have stollen let any One WITH evidence Take me to court and i will build a 3 bedroomed house for such a person if Am found guilty” The process has just started and all upnd cohorts including HH have started crying as usual.CHiMBWI AITILE IMPASHI NOKU MUBUBA SHA MUBUBA.
Next time you vote, ensure you don’t vote for rats that will set the “house on fire”. Because of their own greed and corruption we all being dragged into their mess.
Im sure sure all these people would use their hard earned cash to have a printed T- shirt and go to goveernment offices for publicity .There is someone behind all this and it is most likely Dubai Lusambo and the dull lawyer from Kabwe .If on the other hand some people decided to print T-shirts and go to demand answers on our we got ourselves into this economic mess, the PF police would stop them and even arrest them .This government is worse than COVID-19 and cholera put together .
Im sure sure all these people would not use their hard earned cash to have a printed T- shirt and go to goveernment offices for publicity .There is someone behind all this and it is most likely Dubai Lusambo and the dull lawyer from Kabwe .If on the other hand some people decided to print T-shirts and go to demand answers on how we got ourselves into this economic mess, the PF police would stop them and even arrest them .This government is worse than COVID-19 and cholera put together . Tax payers cash is being misused to promote PF agendas so that it can carry on in power instead of buying medicines for hospitals and improving schools .
@1.2 The commission of enquiry is not about hh. It is about the it was executed and those who benefited on the expense of the public by cheating. Whoever cheated must be jailed and his/her wealth given back the public. This should be the start of purity in Zambia. Kukabe akatina. In fact China execution of those stealing public funds or property is the best and should be introduced in Zambia.
Same t-shirt design both in lusaka and copperbelt…mmm a coincidence or a well calculated move to portray a national call..??..I wonder when commission of inquiry on stupiiiidity and foolishness will be constituted..and also we need one for Barotse agreement..
Where is gain in all this? Zambia has improved in number of the educated but then most lack intelligence! There were many groups of consultants hired for apportioned tasks but it turns out in singling HH as overseer of the whole privatization exercise. So many players in the opposition but one HH has been crowned the only opposition existing! Some people cause others to tremble at the mere mention of name! Ignorance is indeed bliss among the lazy always expecting manna! By the time these protesters realize they had been hoodwinked when nothing will have accrued to them, their manipulator will have gotten what they wanted and would have developed amnesia.
“…why some of those appointed to sale national assets decided to sale state assets cheaply…“.
These companies were insolvent and near junkie with liabilities and debts much more than the assets. Their market value was in the negative and IMF and World Bank as major debtors dictated the conditions of sale. There was nearly no negotiations required.
The question should be where did the proceeds from the sale go? In Chiluba and his minions
Unbelievable, the amount of stnpidity is astounding! Did these sycophants know that there was a government of MMD at the time who made these decisions? They are acting like HH, a mere Tonga boy at the time was a government so powerful he called the shots.
Is the likes of Kaunda Lembalemba, Katele Kalumba still alive? Why can’t…
…Are the likes of Kaunda Lembalemba, Katele Kalumba still alive? Why can’t they go to these guys to seek answers? Probably even go to ZCCM?
I will be a witness if the commission of inquiry into privatisation of state assets and state companies is constituted. I will ask if it was fair to sell government houses at less than market value when that same government was in debt. These state assets were the property of all taxpayers. How did taxpayers who were not civil servants benefit from selling these houses at less than the price of roofing materials to sitting civil servants?
Putting the country under such unneccessary tension simply because of trying to sort out one individual.
1. the Kwacha is sky rocketing
2. Debt stock is unsustainable
3. Fuel is K17
4. Electricity tariffs are inhibitive
5. Cost of living is too high
6. Leadership is not seen
7. Corruption every where
5. Peace has become elusive
..and yet instead of sorting out these issues we as a country are fighting an individual.
I think PF have failed and now they are busy trying to divert people’s focus from their own failures. How can the whole Govt say the suffering of today is because of Privatisation of 20 years?
Mwanawasa worked out his way to have the country back on the trajectory of economic boom by having our debt written off. They kwacha came down to K3.50 per dollar…
who ever is behind this God will punish them manipulating Zambian people over useless matters, when we have dead serious issues to be dealt with. God help your people…..
Laughable!!!! Zambians taken for granted…Those who seek public office should come with ‘come’ hands….It tells you these were done hurriedly
This Inquiry should have been better instituted when PF lost its parliamentary seat in the most recent by-election in Luanshya. Luanshya mine Town is pitful with these Chinese investors.
@Rowdy
Grow up and stop using other people’s aliases but have your own. What next are you going to my other aliases i use on this platform such Detective, The devils advocate, Thanos, The Joker, wanza weyi, jonjau etc. yeah that is all me clone them too all you want.
The people to follow are Chikwanda, (has stayed silent thinking people don’t remember him) the mastermind over Chiluba criminal activities, Derick Chitala, Finance Ministers Edith Nawakwi and Katele Kalumba, Deputy finance minister Dan Pule, other very very close minister to FTJ, Eric Silwamba, their friend in Ndola Terence Findlay, Chiluba’s closest criminal Richard Sakala, ZCCM MD Francis Kaunda, and many more that I can remember. Have you forgotten Lungu sold KIFCO in Kabwe during privatization?
SICK NATION >>>>>>>>>>> 25 YEARS NOW AN ENQUIRY
and 55 Years of INDEPENDENCE AND STILL BEGGING
WAKE UP FOLKS
@Hamasaka. Please you cannot forgive a person who is innocent of the crime in the first place. HH didn’t commit a crime by being hired as one of the consultants to help in the privatization process. The government of the republic of Zambia at the time engaged his (HH)’s company to help with the process. PF as a party have recognized and acknowledged that the very Zambian people that they claim to be supporting them are the Zambians telling PF to lay off HH because he had done nothing wrong. PF know that their time is up and that the MAJORITY of ZAMBIANS based in Zambia are tired of PF lies when they are busy enrichment themselves. 2021 PF to go.
This is not time for nonsense please. This is time to call on Dr Dambisa Moyo and ask for advice on how you can deal with your economic structures. This is time to call on Mr John Sangwa and ask on how to shape your governance structures and institutions going forward. This is time to call on all the brains we have to figure out how we can stop budgeting on deficit and balance of payments support and start budgeting on what surplus we can donate to other needy countries. Mwe fipumbu mwe ba mushanina bwali! Ba makaka!
Cry my beloved country. Due to hunger and poverty, people accept to wear t-shirts and be used in a witch hunt which they know too well is not valid. How do you accuse a person who was never in govt but leave those in govt with all the scandals… One thing I know and have faith in: God will expose the guilty and vindicate the innocent. Let’s see how far this will go. And the iron is police allowed this but blocked a crucial match against ECZ..my foot!
I feel sorry for the people who were not paid their dues after privatization. But I wonder if that was in the conditions of sale. Even when we know who benefitted from the sale, these people are not going to get anything out of it. Who is going to pay them – Edith Nawakwi or Katele kalumba or Ronald Penza or Alexander Chikwanda? The ones who received the proceeds of privatization on our behalf and spent it. Who has the money to pay all of us affected by privatization? The question is, Who stands to benefit in all this? Again it is a politician, not these people being paraded.
My interest in in Zambia Airways liquidation. Who got all those assets scattered all over the world?