IMENDA CLAIMS M’MEMBE ENVIOUS OF HH

BATUKE Imenda has accused Fred M’membe, the Socialist Party leader of being bitter and envious of President Hakainde Hichilema whose record of success in governing the country and changing its economic trajectory has been unmatched.

Mr. Imenda, the UPND secretary general says Dr M’membe should read and understand the Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) transaction instead of making unverifiable statements.

“But we know Dr M’membe that he is deliberately attributing his sentiments to unverifiable media stories questioning the historic sale of 51 percent shares and handover of Mopani Copper Mines to International Resources Holdings (IRH) of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,” Mr Imenda said.

He said in a statement that he knows very well that his rantings are baseless, other than trying to discredit the transaction at any cost. “M’membe can’t accept, because of envy, the fact that under President Hakainde Hichilema, the Mopani deal has been sealed and that more than 2, 000 people shall directly be employed while those who had lost their jobs shall be reinstat- ed. This development is hurting him and his colleagues in the opposition,” he said.

Mr. Imenda said Dr M’membe was hoping that the Mopani mine would remain non operational with the hope of building for himself a strong support base from the suffering miners on the Copperbelt which he claimed was occasioned by the reckless policies of the Patriotic Front (PF).

“It is cruel for Dr M’membe and any other opposition political players anywhere in the world to wish the people they aspire to lead more suffering. They were hoping there would be anger and discontent on the Copperbelt before the next elections in 2026.

Dr M’membe and his friends in the United Kwacha Alliance do not care much about the miners and their families who have been suffering since the mine ceased full operations almost five years ago,” he said.

He said it was also a known fact that the IRC, which has acquired a 51 percent stake in Mopani mine had operations in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.