Dear Editor
We the Chimute Kabundi Mining cooperative in Serenje is appealing to the president of Zambia Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu to help us to resolve the issue between the cooperative and Former Serenje Member of Parliament Philip Cosamu over the cooperative manganese mine.
As members of the cooperative we want the president to help us because the former MP wants to remove us from the land saying he has a license for the same land we are mining on.
The former MP came with the license after two months he approached the cooperative with the certificate, and waiting for a consent from KRL to run a manganese mine claiming he also has license for the same land where the cooperative mine is operating from. He said wanted to work with us if can join as a member.
We have been to many offices to ask for assistance to the ministry of mines, minerals and development, we have also followed all the guidance that was given in these offices Eg. ZCCM-IH, KRL, and cadastre who are aware of the agreement with the former minister of Mines and minerals development Hon. Musukwa whose conditions we have followed.
We have the necessary documents that are required to acquire and we also bought the Person Protective Equipment (PPE)and tools, as we were told, we also got the chief’s consent.
We were just waiting for consent from the ZCCM-I.H and KRL .
We feel the people handling were making us to move in cycles so that we were not given until cabinet dissolved.
But to our surprise some two weeks ago Mr Cosamu sent people from the mines department with his license to show the boundaries on the same area where we are mining.
Mr Cosamu told us that he has gotten the license with the approval of the president and that he will start mining on the same land and if we will not leave the premises then he will get us arrested.
He has been displaying cadreism behavior and in Serenje this is not the only manganese mine. why does he want to displace us when the government is preaching that people should form cooperatives.
We were advised to form a cooperative as local people so that we can also get empowered and get jobs through this also.
We want the president to hear us because a lot of people in the cooperative are banking on it to improve their lives as Zambians, we also want to be helped in ways that will sustain our lives.
We also want to be protected as citizens of this country who just want to earn a living.
Please our president we want to be head also because we are not going to sit we will fight for our rights.
Elliot Mwanza- Chairperson for Chimute Cooperative
John Chifokola- Secretary.
