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Matero Member of Parliament (MP), Miles Sampa, has called on the Constitutional Court to nullify the transaction involving ZCCM-IH’s shares in Mopani Copper Mines, arguing that it violated constitutional provisions.
He insisted that the assets held by ZCCM-IH in Mopani are state assets and that their transfer required parliamentary approval under Article 210 of the Constitution.
Sampa contends that the deal between ZCCM-IH and International Resource Holdings (IRH) was misrepresented as a share subscription when, in reality, it constituted a sale and transfer of ownership.
He challenged Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha’s assertion that the transaction did not breach constitutional requirements, arguing that the disposal of shares through ZCCM-IH’s subsidiary, Delta Mining Limited, bypassed critical parliamentary oversight.
According to Sampa, IRH publicly acknowledged acquiring a 51 percent stake in Mopani for US$1.1 billion, reinforcing his claim that the transaction involved a transfer of ownership.
He accused the state of deliberately mischaracterizing the deal as a share subscription to evade scrutiny and bypass constitutional safeguards.
The MP further argued that records from the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) contradict the Attorney General’s defense, weakening the government’s position.
He maintained that ZCCM-IH’s shares in Mopani Copper Mines were significant state assets, requiring strict oversight.
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Sampa also accused the government of negligence, stating that the Attorney General’s advice was legally flawed.
He argued that the failure to secure parliamentary approval rendered the transaction procedurally irregular and unconstitutional.
Urging the Constitutional Court to scrutinize and nullify the transaction, Sampa warned that allowing it to stand would set a dangerous precedent for future violations of constitutional safeguards in managing state assets.
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