By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Today Chingola town was in jubilation as the community marched through town center to the District Commissioners office towards the president’s go ahead on the departure of Vedanta.
The march called a celebratory march was organized by the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and other unions as they endorsed the president’s decision to Divorce Vedanta.
The president was on the Copperbelt last week Friday when he said that Vedanta will go as the wish of the people.
The people of Chingola are tired, they have had enough of the suffering, their march carrying placards with words such as Vendata must go, enough is enough KCM +Indians = problems and chanting Vedanta must go and singing other songs of jubilation.
Chingola and Chililabombwe Community are happy with the president’s pronouncements and decision to chase away Vendata.
MUZ President Joseph Chewe said he was happy to come to Chingola to see the departure of Vedanta.
Mr Chewe said the union want to see to it that the company departs from the mines as they have ruined the towns of Chingola and Chililabombwe.
He said his union is happy that the president heard the cries of the people and answered to their cries.
Mr Chewe said the mines have remained a shell as KCM started scrap metal dealing selling anything that is of metal.
He has appealed to the Government that even as they are thinking about an investor they should bring in an investor who will run this big mine not a Chinese investor.
Mr Chewe said government should bring an investor who would bring development to Chingola and Chililabombwe
“As we look for an investor we have leant a lesson as a country those people in decision making should look at the plight of the people and the future generation of this country not to be selfish. Vendata called for a meeting with us but we have refused we have chased them they are not coming back,” he said.
He said this should sound as a warning and an example to other investors who are not adding value to this nation, they will go.
The union has also given Mopani Copper Mines to rescind its decision to closing the mine and retrench workers.
National Union of Miners & Allied Workers (NUMAW) president James Chansa said they have endorsed the decision by the president.
Mr Chansa said the union would work tirelessly to defend the mines as it puts bread and butter on people’s tables.
He said Vendata is enriching itself and their economies where they come from not the people of this country who are suffering day in and day out.
And Copperbelt Minister Japhen Mwakalombe said that the Government is going to take measures that all the gates leading into KCM are maned by the police.
Mr Mwakalombe said that the government has also issued a directive that no scrap metal business is to be undertaken in Chingola and Chililabombwe to cub the mine from selling scrap as they are now doing.
He said the government want to ensure that the transition takes place professionally and that the people of Zambia do not lose out.
Mr Mwakalombe received the petition so that the president can table it in cabinet saying president Lungu’s decision was been done in the interest of the Zambian people.
