KASEMPA COMMUNITY TEAMS UP AGAINST CHINESE MINING FIRM

JIFUMPA community in Kasempa has halted the converting of 196 hectares from customary to state for Chinese owned Ruida mine.

Speaking on behalf of the community after a stakeholders meeting, Samson Kasonso noted that giving the mining company more land would be a sheer waste of natural resources.

‘’As members of the community here in Jifumpa, we are not going to allow the conversion of the land from customary to state because the investor is not in good books with us the hosting community,’’ Mr Kasonso said. He said there was nothing to point at for the past two years the mining company has been operating in the area.

‘’Even just the road that leads to the current mine area is in a deplorable state. So what guarantee do we have that if given this piece of land they are going to look into the welfare of the people,’’ he said.

And Kasempa Member of Parliament Brenda Tambatamba said the Chinese-owned firm will not be given land until they put things right with the community. Ms Tambatamba advised the mine owners to put up a board that will be monitoring the operations of the mine and other agreed developmental projects.

Meanwhile, Senior Chief Kasempa has called on residents in the area to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the mining company if their cries were to be heard.