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.
“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.”
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.


