No 804 K10 www.diggers.news Monday October 26, 2020 Copper prices hit $7,000 COPS NAB 27 per tonne By Stuart Lisulo COPPER prices have hit the US $7,000 per metric tonne threshold for the first time since 2018, representing a two-year-high, following Chinese economic recovery and a resurgence in demand for the red metal. Story page 11 UPND MEMBERS Govt didn’t Independence march lands close Prime T V, Post, opposition supporters behind bars By Ulande Nkomesha during Independence Day Katanga said the 27 were UPND and NDC for change”, things. says Dora POLICE in Chingola on celebrations. arrested around 12:30 because “COVID-19 only applies “We had a case of unlawful Sunday arrested 27 UPND In an interview, Copperbelt they were marching with some to the opposition” and “stop assembly yesterday, this By Julia Malunga cadres of unlawful assembly police commissioner Charity placards written “vote for police brutality”, among other happened...” Story page 5 INFORMATION and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya says it is a total fabrication to argue that government closed Zambia’s economy can’t improve Prime TV and The Post Newspaper. And Home Affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo with kaponyas as ministers - KBF says unruly citizens that disrupt radio programmes By Abraham Kalito is practically impossible for Kaponya” employed as Saturday, Fube said PF only with some of the ministers will not be allowed to go scot- LUSAKA Lawyer Kelvin Zambia to be economically ministers. had a few top-notch ministers we have today. Ni ba kaponya free. Story page 3 Bwalya Fube (KBF) says it independent with “ba Speaking on QTV, while the rest, “ni ba kaponya”. (they are call boys)! with the “Half of the politicians greatest respect, ni ba kaponya. we have today don’t even There are very few that I can say understand the value of yes, that’s quality. Banono sana money. Why? Because it (very few of them). We need comes too easy. It’s corrupt to change some players and Zambia’s GDP contracted money. So, you ask me, what change the game. I keep saying about markets? What do that and I mean it. Nagufye ni they understand about the bola, kwaliba substitute not international markets? How do ukushanfye, mwakwatafye they expect to emancipate the ukushana. Te ma politics ayo by 2.1% in Q2 – Zanaco general populace of Zambia no! (even in soccer, there are By Stuart Lisulo unprecedented 2.1 per cent in pandemic, which slashed But the mining and ICT without that knowledge, substitutes. Dancing during ZAMBIA’S economy the second quarter of 2020, productivity across various sectors remained resilient thinking? It’s impossible to rallies cannot be politics),” severely contracted by an triggered by the COVID-19 sectors, market data shows. and... Story page 4 be economically independent Fube said. Story page 2 2 2. Local News/ Advertisement www.diggers.news Monday October 26, 2020 Govt transparent on COVID-19 donations – Kabwe By Ulande Nkomesha were in public domain and then they can raise questions. institutions like DMMU are has only one account at the auditors are monitoring DISASTER Management and information relating to the I think there is a way they coordinating in terms of this Ministry of Finance where every single donation, every Mitigation Unit (DMMU) same was always published. need to engage. If they want COVID and they can put in a all donations go. In terms of ngwee for COVID. If there national coordinator Chanda “There is no hesitations information, they need to request. We can always speak items each donating unit or is no transparency in the Kabwe says government is from government to provide engage,” Kabwe said. to them but if they want to organisation, they choose donations why are the donor not hesitant in providing information on COVID-19 “All donations are in address through the media, it where to donate; for example community continuing to information on COVID-19 donations. We put in the print public domain, government is difficult for us to know what others go and donate at the give us support for COVID donations. media, for consecutive days, published all the donations kind of explanation they are prisons as we only get to and the relief programs? It’s Last week Transparency it was running in the print value, name, whoever donated, looking for.” know how much has been because we are above board International Zambia media. If they want, we can two days running in the Kabwe said government donated, the quantities and and because they are very observed that there was no also repeat, even next week I national newspaper. I am sure only had one account at the items that have been donated happy with the systems that coordination in the handling can get quotations from both that shows that transparency Ministry of Finance where at the prisons. So all that government has put in place. of COVID-19 donations and private and public media to is there. The culture of just all donations were being information is available if I can invite Transparency that government was hesitant print the donations name by speaking without engaging deposited. they want they should engage Zambia International to attend in providing information on name, amount. We can do and getting clarifications from “Government has and when they engage the our meeting on Tuesday a the same. that even next week after the relevant government wings is institutions that verify what is information is there. But most consultative forum which is But in an interview, consultative forum for people a problem. If they want to get happening and all donations in of the information is in public co chaired by the UN. I invite Kabwe said all donations to read and understand and more details, they know that terms of money, government domain,” Kabwe said. them officially and I am going “They can go to Times to write to them to attend the of Zambia and Daily Mail meeting where the report on look at when we published the COVID will be given. The all the donations, the names, report on African Locust will Mine suppliers expect improved the value and the items be given, the report on relief that were received from all distribution will be given institutions. I am sure that is in detail and they can raise more information. We have questions if they are not happy performance at Mopani after takeover nothing to hide and most of with our report that we are By Stuart Lisulo benefited from our mineral even doubt ZCCM-IH running one or two (suppliers), who these donations, 80 per cent going to give. Then they can MOPANI Copper Mine Plc resources...’ Benefiting is not the mine. Right now, the mine have not yet been cleared, but are covered by both public provide checks and balances,” should be expected to run more simply about having a contract; is being run by Zambians, I think the new dimension we and private media houses. he said. efficiently once new investors, it should go beyond just getting there is little capital injection discussed with the liquidator is They do cover donations, so “All those issues they in partnership with ZCCM-IH, business from these investors,” coming from Glencore, but that, anything that he procures I don’t know where they say are going to be raised in that take over, says Mine Suppliers Mubanga said. the mine is operating, which from the time that he was there is no transparency in the meeting, we are going to and Contractors Association “Our understanding is we can do. So, it’s about appointed (May, 2019), he was donations.” answer them, if we have no president Augustine Mubanga. that once we begin to have understanding the business to honour and pay. As a going He said the donor answer, they are going to take And Mubanga says shares in these mines, even model that we want to employ concern, they dismantle and community was happy us to task. Our cooperating Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) the benefit that you’re talking and what we want to get from accrue, so, the figures change with how government partners, this is the platform (in provisional liquidation) has about will also change. We the mine,” he observed. every month,” said Mubanga, was managing COVID-19 we use to give them reports so made good progress in paying are looking at the aspect “A lot of people have cast who, however, did not avail the donations. that they commit their funds. off debt owed to contractors of decisions on where you doubts on ZCCM-IH running latest reconciled data. “When you are working, If they are happy with how and suppliers. spend the money in terms of the mine; that is misplaced. you have auditors, external the...” Continues on page 3 In an interview, Mubanga your development or capital This whole business is entirely expressed optimism that procurement...These investors about the people of Zambia.” ZCCM-IH’s prospective spend millions of dollars He added that Glencore’s investors, scheduled to take outside (of the country), and eventual departure will not over Mopani’s operations, at the end of the day, what do necessarily translate into Zambia’s economy can’t would boost the company’s we receive? Simply equipment, instant mass redundancies. commercial viability, even and sometimes, some of the “...By the way, when amid Zambia’s challenging equipment that we receive Glencore goes, it doesn’t economic climate. doesn’t even get to be used mean that all the employees at improve with kaponyas According to Mines for them to be productive.