Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has called upon the Mines Safety Department (MSD) to enforce the mining laws and regulations by prohibiting provisional liquidator Mr. Milingo Lungu from continued management of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) mining operations because he lacks minimum qualifications prescribed by mining regulations to do so.

And Mr. Sinkamba said it is wrong for MSD to resort to double standards by turning a blind eye to illegalities currently taking place at KCM operations while expecting other mining companies to comply with the mining laws and regulations.

Commenting on the excessive discharge of noxious gases from the Lime Plant at Nchanga Mine last week which resulted in hospitalization of 232 children and 40 miners, Mr. Sinkamba said this incidence is unprecedented on the Copperbelt and should not be treated with kid gloves as air pollution is one of the most dangerous hazards on mining as it kills within minutes.

“High concentrations of sulfur dioxide can affect lung function, worsen asthma attacks, and worsen existing heart disease in sensitive population groups. This gas can also react with other chemicals in the air and change to small particles that can get into the lungs and cause similar health effects.

“People with lung diseases, such as asthma and chronic bronchitis will generally have more serious health effects at higher sulphur dioxide levels.

“Children are at higher risk from sulfur dioxide exposure because their lungs are still developing. They are also more likely to have asthma, which can get worse with sulphur dioxide exposure.

“Clearly, what happened last week at KCM was hazardous discharge of sulphur dioxide which was more than 5 parts per million. At that level, sulphur dioxide triggers health warnings of emergency conditions, hence the hospitalizations and huge population affected. This is illegal and dangerous. MSD should not turn a blind eye to such hazardous illegalities. They must act firmly without fear or favour in national interest otherwise we will soon have a national disaster at KCM.

“But the starting point should be for MSD to prohibit the provisional liquidator Mr. Milingo Lungu from the continued illegal running of the mine operations at KCM.

“According to Part 2 of the Mining Regulations, Mr. Milingo is an incompetent person. He has never had any adequate training and experience so as to enable him to perform the duty of manager of a mining operation without avoidable danger to himself or any other person. He is incompetent to be appointed by a holder of the mining right to be responsible for the control, supervision and direction of mining operations in accordance with Regulation 202 of 1971 and 1973, and as such he is a danger to himself and other persons within the mine and areas contiguous to the mine. Even Section 14 of the Mines and Minerals Development Act of 2015 prohibits what Mr. Milingo Lungu is doing at KCM. The MSD should stop this illegality forthwith,” Mr. Sinkamba said.

By Peter Sinkamba

The calculus on the importation of power from ESKOM South Africa, where the Zambian Government is spending US$27million per month, starting this month, is not adding up. Here is why:

Two months ago, ZESCO announced that it was increasing the hours for power rationing due to continued decrease of water levels in the country’s hydro power plants. The firm increased hours for power cut from 6 to 8 hours for all industrial and commercial customers.

According to ZESCO notice, a continued decline in water levels in Kariba Dam resulted in the country experiencing a power deficit of about 700 megawatts from the initial 273 megawatts which was reported in June.

Last week, ZESCO once again notified the public further reduction of power generation at main power stations, namely Kariba, Kafue George and Ithezi thezi. According to ZESCO, the state of affairs has significantly reduced with power deficit to 872 megawatts. Furthermore, Zesco announced longer load shedding periods of more than 15 hours per day.

ZESCO and Government are currently making arrangements to start importing electricity from ESCOM South Africa so as to cushion the power deficit. Finance Minister Dr Bwalya Ngandu told journalists at State House on Thursday last week that Government had met the obligation of importing power from ESKOM. Government says it has since paid for one month for importation of power from ESKOM. The cost is pegged at US$27 million for 300 megawatts per month.

Now, look at this calculus: In June, power deficit was 273 megawatts, and the load shedding hours were 4 hours. In September, power deficit increased to 700 megawatts, and loading shedding hours increased to more than 15 hours per day. When this deal takes off in two days’ time, the power deficit will be reduced from 872 megawatts to 572 megawatts. However, Government says the importation will reduce load shedding by only 2 hours! This mean load shedding will remain at more than 13 hours per day.

The calculus is not adding up here. Check this out:

If 273 = 4

700 = 8

872 = 15

572 =?

Based on ZESCO’s figures published since June this year, as the worst case scenario, the importation of 300 megawatts must reduce load shedding to maximum of 6 hours. In other words, the deal should reduce load shedding from the current more than 15 hours to maximum 6 hour per day.

So, going by ZESCO and Government own pronouncements, and statistics, something fishy is cooking here!

Mines Minister Richard Musukwa has directed the Mine Safety Department and Zambia Environmental Management Agency to use all provisions of the law to deal with Konkola Copper Mines -KCM following the air pollution which happened in Chingola last week.

Last week, over 200 pupils and 40 KCM employees in Chingola were rushed to hospitals after inhaling sulphuric acid which KCM released from its acid plant.

Mr. Musukwa said the discharge of Sulphur dioxide emissions by KCM has endangered people especially the pupils who were in examination classes.

Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Chingola District Commissioner Mary Chibesa, the Minister said the two agencies must use all the provisions of the law to deal with KCM because its pollution is well documented.

Mr. Musukwa said once KCM is made to answer for its actions, all mining houses will see it as an example not to indiscriminately pollute the environment.

Earlier, Mrs. Chibesa said KCM had been polluting rivers and fields for a long time.

She complained that despite several pleas from her office, KCM has not been responding to the many incidences of pollution.

The Mines Minister, who is accompanied by Director Mine Safety Mooya Lumamba and Nchanga Member of Parliament Chali Chilombo, is about to visit the acid plant were the sulphuric acid was discharged last week.

ZNBC

By: Anthony Bwalya – UPND Member

From the onset, I wish to challenge the PF administration to deny that this is not true and proceed to providing the public with a figure of how much taxpayers have lost in fraudulent public sector payroll management.

But I wish to assure the public, that the figure presented is even an understatement of the scale of the actual plunder perpetrated by this careless PF regime.

When President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND indicated that we would deliver an unprecedented 5 year $1.5 billion personal and SME taxation reform plan, the Patriotic Front (PF) contemptuously laughed off the idea as a fantasy. We clearly indicated, that the $1.5 billion tax reform plan would be paid for through:

1. An upward adjustment of the lower tax exempt threshold from the current K3,300 to K4,000. This plan is expected to cover the losses of up to K605 per month which households have incurred since 2011 owing to surges in the prices of basic commodities and a slow down in the growth of wages.

2. A 10% reduction in the upper tax bracket from the current 37.5% to 22.5%. This is intended to motivate hard work and excellence, but also provide further relief for households.

3. Relief on business levies and taxation for qualifying SMEs for purposes of allowing them smooth transition to growth and expansion, targeting a no obligation period of up to 5 years.

A combination of these measures alone is expected to reduce household poverty and inequality by allowing families more lattitude to spend on what matters most to them – education, health, food, housing and other services such as water and electricity, whose cost has spiked under the PF.

It is also expected that SMEs will for once be able to invest in business expansion and growth without being punished for good business decision making. This is how we expect to create more jobs and generate more household based incomes at a very basic micro economic level.

Now the reason the PF are quick to dismiss such progressive reforms is because they would rather be drawing money out of the incomes of individuals, households and small businesses and into their own private pockets and other party mobilisation agendas.

We now know that over $15 million is dubiously siphoned and shared out every month among senior civil servants, ministers and the party through the irregularly management of public sector payroll. In fact, the issue of ghost workers is NOT an accident. This is a carefully threaded scheme to steal money using the employment credentials of those long retired, the dead, the transferred and those newly employed.

This is a scheme well known to Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Departmental directors and middle management civil servants. This is why it has taken over 8 years for the PF to have this conversation. In fact, it is the shrinking fiscal space and the pressure on public sector payroll that caused an internal outcry by some good civil servants about this issue.

The UPND is looking to leverage sound public financial management, cutting edge expertise and looking to achieve a less than 35% public sector wage bill of the total budget.

We want to call upon Zambians to believe that something else is different in terms of public leadership.

The kind of new normal the PF want to indoctrinate into the hearts and minds of Zambians is a fraud and a scheme that will injure and steal from many, the prospects of a better future.

2021 is the year we all decide different.

Zambia’s award winning singer-song writer Drimz has released the video for his new single “Chintelelwe.” The visual features a skit by raving Zambian comedians Bashi Mumbi and Bana Mumbi.

The song was produced by C.O.G and Jerry Fingers while the video was directed by The Visual Papi.

Ruling Patriotic Front Member of Parliament for Kabushi Bowman Lusambo has charged that things are not well for the party on the Copperbelt province.

Mr Lusambo has since pleaded with party Secretary General Davies Mwila to step in and provide answers to the dwindling fortunes of the party in the province.

Mr Lusambo who is also Lusaka Province Minister was speaking on Friday evening in Kitwe during the party’s Mpongwe District Executive Committee fundraising dinner at Moba Hotel.

“Ine, I was wearing overalls but because of EL’s love, he has upgraded me and I am now wearing these jackets you are seeing. Ba S.G, let’s not just make pledges, we need to know how the party is sitting on the Copperbelt, if we just make pledges, then there is nothing we are doing,” Mr Lusambo warned.

“We need to know how the party is sitting even as we make pledges in order to know that the party is going well. As Kabushi MP, I can tell you that things are not Ok on the Copperbelt. You need to look at this issue as the CEO of the party and then find the answers and provide the answers if we are to move forward.”

Meanwhile, PF Secretary General Davies Mwila said ruling party is focusing its energies on growing membership through mobilisation activities and not holding of the convention because there is already a preferred candidate.

Mr Mwila also stated that Party has indicated that only the Central Committee has the power to decide whether or not to have a convention.

He said all those questioning whether the party will go to the convention or not must wait for the central committee to decide on the matter.

He has further stated that he is aware of some people with ill intentions who have been making advances to put the name of the party into disrepute by making calls for a convention.

“Our focus as a party is to ensure that we maintain the momentum ahead of 2021 general elections, we will not be diverted but also the good part is we keep delivering to the people, we have done roads all these projects will speak for us,” Mr. Mwila said.

He said the ruling party is focusing its energies on growing membership through mobilisation activities and not holding of the convention because there is already a preferred candidate.

The party’s Secretary General later announced that a total of over K300, 000 had been raised during the fundraising dinner to go towards various party activities in Mpongwe District.