By Isaac Zulu
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Kasonde Mwenda has condemned the concession of the Lobito Corridor to a consortium of foreign firms.
Mwenda has pointed out that the decision to concession the Lobito Corridor will compromise Zambia and Congo DR’s trade sovereignty.
“The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns the concession of the Lobito Corridor to a consortium of foreign firms players from the West, compromising Zambia and DRC’s trade sovereignty. The operation of the corridor, which spans from Angola to Tanzania, has been handed over to foreign entities, with Trafigura holding 49.5% ownership, Mota-Engil holding another 49.5%, and Vecturis holding 1%. Unfortunately, Zambia, Angola and DRC retain zero operation mandate in the facility,” Mwenda stated.
He also observed that the trend of handing over critical infrastructure to foreign companies threatens Zambia’s security and trade sovereignty.
“At least 8 Memoranda Of Understanding (MOUs) have been signed related to the Lobito Corridor, with various stakeholders including the European Union, the United States, Angola, the DRC, Zambia, AfDB, and AFC. This route has become a focal point for the transportation of strategic minerals, critical raw materials, and EV battery value chain products to the EU and the US,” he stated. “The lack of operation stair and lack of protection for data sovereignty is a major concern to EFF, as Zambia’s trade and biometric data are at risk of being compromised by private sector entities. This trend of handing over critical infrastructure to foreign companies threatens the security of Zambia’s data and trade sovereignty.”
Mwenda further noted that it is important for Zambia to retain control of its resources and trade routes for long term prosperity, adding that there is need to safeguard the country’s data integrity.
“It is vital for Zambia to retain control over its resources and trade routes for long-term prosperity. Under an EFF-led government, prosperity for all Zambians will reign. By utilizing Zambia’s resources and maintaining sovereignty over trade routes, we will ensure long-term prosperity and economic growth for all citizens,” stated Mwenda
