Open Society Foundation commends Sata for warning KCM

Executive Director Sunday Chanda says Zambia’s mineral wealth cannot be taken for granted by investors who seek to exploit people.

Mr Chanda says Zambia had a terrible and disastrous experience with the Binani Group of India for the Luanshya/Baluba mine, which condemned Luanshya to a ghost city.

He says the PF Government should not allow Chingola to become the next ghost city of the Copperbelt.

He says OSF urges Government and Zambians in general to begin to courageously explore best alternatives for the mining industry in general.

Mr Chanda has further called on Government to go beyond its current stance on KCM and consult around a permanent solution to the challenges in the mining industry.

He states that OSF believes that Zambia must begin to push for aggressive mining reforms which ensure ownership of mineral wealth through the expropriation of the current minerals-production processes in Zambia, and the commencement of extraction and processing, locally.

He says Zambia needs measures prioritizing increased local beneficiation and industrialization of mineral resources, stating that mining companies will keep blackmailing present and future governments.