Kambwili calls for patience over mine jobs

MINISTER of Information and Broadcasting Services Chishimba Kambwili has appealed to miners on the Copperbelt to remain calm while Government is working to mitigate the challenges the mining sector is facing.
Speaking during the 51st Independence anniversary celebrations on Saturday, Mr Kambwili, who is chief Government spokesperson, said Government is working tirelessly to ensure the retrenchments in the mines are kept minimal.
“I am appealing to the miners here on the Copperbelt to be patient because we are doing everything possible to ensure that we save the jobs of many people,” Mr Kambwili said.

He also urged opposition political parties to be sympathetic with people affected by the economic down-turn instead of trying to gain political mileage out of the situation.
Mr Kambwili said Zambia is not the only country experiencing load shedding and the depreciation of the local currency against other major convertible currencies.
He said it is unrealistic for opposition political parties to blame the Patriotic Front (PF) administration for the economic challenges the country is experiencing because other countries in the region are also affected.
“The economic challenges that we are facing today are not as a result of the leadership of President Lungu. Almost all the countries in the region are facing similar challenges,” he said.
Mr Kambwili also said there is need to spread development to all parts of the country by empowering local communities through the decentralisation policy and transformation agenda.
He said Government under the transformation agenda is also encouraging traditional leaders to come up with strategic plans for their chiefdoms which will capture villages as units of development.
Mr Kambwili said under the agenda, chiefdoms will have good roads, housing, clean water and sanitation, education, health, agriculture and law enforcement facilities.
He said Government is committed to ensuring that people in chiefdoms have access to amenities.

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