By Isaac Zulu
Kamfinsa member of parliament Christopher Kang’ombe has questioned the irony behind the police’s continued rejection of anti-Vedanta protest while giving a green light to those who are protesting in favour of the mining company.
But Peter Phiri said the government should stop delaying and politicking over the need for Vedanta to come back.
Kang’ombe raised the irony in a tweet.
“In the last two months, Police has twice allowed protests by citizens supporting the return of Vedanta at KCM. During the same period, the same police command has rejected any protests AGAINST vedanta in chingola and chililabombwe. Clearly, GRZ is supporting vedanta returning🤔” tweeted Kang’ombe.
But Phiri, who is the immediate past MMD deputy spokesperson, said the UPND administration should focus on the positive issues that Vendata Minerals brought into the Zambian mining industry before “completely getting rid of the mining giant,” saying Vedanta Minerals created a lot of jobs for the people on the Copperbelt, and in Zambia, in general.
Phiri recounted by that Vedanta Minerals started mining operations, the mining giant has demonstrated its continued commitment to social corporate responsibility in areas where the mining firms are operating from.
“All this political rhetoric that we used to encounter with regards to the full operationalization of mining activities at Konkola Copper Mines should continue. We are wasting a lot of time on an issue that is self explanatory,” said Phiri. “We have noticed with concern that UPND government has failed to operationalise, the current government has not been explicit on the issue of KCM and Vedanta. At the time Vedanta Minerals was doing full mining operations, they were able to attend to so many social cooperate issues, aimed at empowering the communities. This Vedanta Minerals that they are talking about actively engaged in social corporate responsibility activities. They used to send our children from KCM Trust Schools to India. They have continued to supplement government’s efforts to rebuild the mining industry. For once, can we stop politicising the operationationasation of operations at KCM and Vedanta. The UPND administration should stop politicking about the issue relating to Vendata Minerals and KCM.”
