Govt prodded to expedite KCM transition process

A KITWE based clergyman Reverend Charles Chelenshya has appealed to the government to expedite the Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) transition process by ensuring that the scheme of arrangement is concluded that drought had been declared this month. a national disaster, Rev Chelenshya said now and resources were needed to address the situation, it was important that the mining sector was fully revamped.

Rev Chelenshya said this was the time Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Kabuswe ensured that KCM became productive by way of resolving the remaining legal issues.

He said if this is left unchecked, the country would witness the high rate of crime due to high poverty levels.

"We know that the Copperbelt Province is mining dependent. Of course, agriculture seems to fail us now, so there is no agricultural processing because of the drought. We pray that a drought does not degenerate into famine because this will result in increased crime rate on the Copperbelt.

"Now, the Minister of Mines promised us on the 25th February, 2024 that the KCM transition process won't go beyond March 2024. We the people of the Copperbelt hope that this time around, the Minister will live by his words in the interest of public accountability, for integrity and restoring economic and social development,”Rev said.

He said the people in the province were suffering and that the government should know that poverty was the cause of crime.

Rev Chelenshya hoped that President Hakainde Hichilema would hear the cry of the people because the waiting had been too long.

"Allow Vedanta Resources to take over KCM plc because we need more jobs and business opportunities in order to avert any threat of crime and other crimes," he said.