By Gerald Nkisu Katayi
Word on the streets of copperbelt in the 70s had it that Northwestern province was “backward” and the people from the area were “sleepy.” Today the province is opening up to investments and many Zambians are flocking there for jobs.
The province is not only dishing out jobs but also distributing land and minerals to investors at the expense of the locals. Is this the reason they earned themselves a title “ukushishita?”
Why should leaders give land and minerals from Lumwana, Kansashi and now in Chief Museli’s area in a very short period of time? Media has it that Mwinilung’a is also going to give up a huge piece of land to a foreign company. In the 70s, Northwestern province had Kansanshi mine.Copper was dug and sold but all the profits went to other provinces leaving the locals in poverty. Is that not lesson enough?
Well, not all of them are “sleepy.” His highness Chief Museli of the Lunda people of Solwezi needs to be supported in his quest to give land to the investors. He is willing to give much smaller land to the investors than what was requested. Others leaders from this part of Zambia should follow his example. If not, Northwestern province will become another “scramble for Africa” kind of experience and it will lead to struggles again for the local people to “liberate” their land.
Leaders should take precautions when it comes to matters of land and minerals. These are things we don’t just give away. The investors are coming in the province to plunder your own natural resources in the name of investment. A good example is that of countries that are rich in copper, oil, diamonds, and gold and yet the locals are still poor.
The spine tingling matter here is that not only land is being given away but minerals as well. Why should they give away their naturals resources for back breaking jobs? This is like Judas Iscariot who sold his Master for few pieces of silver, why should some of these leaders give away so much land just to get toilet cleaning jobs for their own people in return? Giving up more land after all they have already given will be suicidal for the province.
The leaders in this province should learn from Copperbelt province where land was given out but the locals never benefited, chiefs are still poor, their language was hijacked and the political scenario of the province up to now remains in those who came from other provinces. Is this the route Northwestern wants to follow? The motto one Zambia one Nation is the best, but it should be carried out in a sober way where the national cake is eaten by all Zambians.
Politicians should not sell land as a campaign gimmick to win elections as they get kudos from the investors. In Africa many political leaders are easily turned against their own people. But this should not be the case for those in political or traditional leadership in Zambia.
Every province in Zambia has enough supply for her inhabitants if that wealth is well managed. The wealth of Zambia must be well organized and distributed to meet the needs of all inhabitants, province by province.
The author has not explained what we should do with this land and minerals. This is like the story I once read about a man who had 3 servants. He gave each servant some gold. 2 of them invested that gold whereas the other one hoarded the gold. The man was angry with the third servant because he did nothing with the gold. This is the same scenario that is being proposed. Sit on the land and minerals and do nothing with it.
Zambian Leadership should change the way they do things; we cannot always depend on foreign Investment, Give your own people a chance to run these companies.
Foreign companies come with one aim, maximize profits and move out, there is no Corporate Social Responsibility CSR leaving Zambians Power with no proper services. Proceeds from these Mines can be used properly if managed/ governed by we the Zambians.
Let us wake up. And put pressure on these leaders that believe in Foreigners as the Best than Local.
lol. No one is forcing Zambians NOT to develop their own mines at the scale foreign investors can. What you’re saying makes sense, but its not a zero sum game…Zambians can and should create their own mines, that shouldn’t be a reason NOT to invite foreign investors who have the capital and expertise to use the land and minerals to every one’s benefit. Foreign companies bring expertise, technology, jobs and boost exports.
So long as there is no transparency and the native population don’t see benefits to them in them, I can foresee a Zimbabwe type of land grab in the future. There is need for the government to form an independent body which should be assessing and carrying out a cost/benefit analysis of these contracts before they are approved. Leaving everything to government and politicians is not sustainable and just encourages corruption. Imagine what’s going to happen to all those shady contracts handed to the Turks and Banda’s son when there is a change in government.
No 2 Did you not have your own people running ZCCM what happened
Do not beat about the bush, having a Ngoni or Mambwe even a Tonga getting a job from a foreigner investor who has invested in the country is not wrong as long as such a person has the skills required.
We have rumors that somebody need to get permission from the Chief to get unskilled task at Lumwana Mine, this is wrong! There are North westerners working in Mongu even in Livingstone, Nakonde.
What you have not done is to hit the nail on its head, can the Government introduce appropriate tax for the mine investors, The GRZ must also compel the mines to take full responsibility of the environment and corporate responsibility and infrastructure development where this foreigners are working. These and many more must be addressed.
Many times you have heard Maxwell Mwale and the Finance Minister say they will not introduce windfall tax, and the investors are free to externalize the profits. The result is what you are talking about and instead of addressing the issue head on you feel the educated lozi who is an accountant has taken your wealth NO! he is skilled his farther sent him to school in Mongu so that when he grows up he can find a good job in Kitwe which he did and when they opened Lumwana he applied and got the job. What is wrong with that?
A caring Government would have seen all your points and do something but not the one you have. You heard some were shot at in S. Province for demanding a pay rise, wait.. What will remain are voids ifimbotela and before you realise the inverstor is gone. visit Chingola!
The writer claims: “His highness Chief Museli of the Lunda people of Solwezi needs to be supported in his quest to give land to the investors.”
Why? Because: ” He is willing to give much smaller land to the investors than what was requested. ”
I’m sorry, but no chief should give ANY land to ANY foreign corporation. Chiefs giving away land, whether at gunpoint or through bribes or because they don’t understand or care about the consequences for their people, is how colonialism got started.
Anyone remember the story of the Reverend Helms, and Chief Lobengula? You can’t trust these people – you can’t trust anyone who wants what you have. Who is going to clean up the toxic mess that is going to poison the Lunda people for generations?
The author is right, look at what happened to our multibillion pound precious stones resources, this MMD GRZ does not know what happened or why Zambia has benifited nothing. more then 90% of that wealth has been externalised and is still being externalised. What is the role of goverment if not to protect natural reasources and make sure they benifit the country. It is about the manegment of these resources. How can you just sell the prospecting and mining licences and recive bribes by way of having a few undercover shares then forget what happens. This is the MMD way of selling Zambias future. They would rather sell than buy, rent than build, import than produce
There has to be the realization that the commons (land, minerals, infrastructure, even telcos and banks) belong to everyone. They can only be administered by anyone else on their behalf, and at all times, in their interest. Minerals are not there so some scuzzy politician can make a nice deal with a foreign mining company, to the detriment of everyone else – giving away land and minerals for nothing, letting the state clean up the mess they make at the cost of the taxpayer.
@MrK. Land, minerals, telcos etc….belong to the private individuals or companies that secure the rights to develop them. Not the people.
The state is there to regulate and maintain a stable socio economic environment….thats what they are doing by inviting the foreign mining companies. They want Zambia to be a hotspot for foreign direct investment, its a smart move considering Zambians haven’t developed these things on their own initiative. All we hear are complaints, “oh doing business in Zambia is hard…oh capital is hard to come by.” It wasn’t easy for the foreign companies to find the capital when they first started and business is hard everywhere in the world! Stop complaining and build a company of your own!