By JOHN SAKALA
Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) Liquidator Milingo Lungu continues to surprise all doubting Thomases by priming to procure 35 brand new underground earth moving equipment.
The major complaint at KCM has been that of old equipment and lack of spares for the same old equipment.
But Mr Lungu seems ready to solve the jig saw and put his focus on continuous production.
The expected types of earth moving equipment are loaders, dump trucks and drill rigs with the lowest one piece of equipment costing US $400, 000.
Atlas Copco the supplier of the same equipment had initially refused to supply the said equipment saying that KCM owes it huge sums of money.
But Mr Milingo has committed to make a 25% upfront payment of the total amount about US $14 million.
Of the 35 pieces of equipment, first batch of 15 can be delivered before the end of this year.
Already he has been paying salaries on time and he has already made part payment to almost all suppliers and contractors.
And the employees are demanding that KCM must not be sold but be run by Zambians because within the short time of Mr Milingo at the helm, several things are showing progress.
The employees told The Independent Observer that at the moment KCM is only producing from the copper picked from open pit with four per cent grade.
