Copperbelt truckers demand revocation of FQM’s maize transport contract

The Copperbelt Open Truckers Association (COTA) has called on the government to revoke First Quantum Minerals’ (FQM) contract to transport maize from Tanzania.

COTA Chairperson, Benson Tembo, made the appeal during a meeting with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister, Elias Mubanga, in Kitwe on Wednesday.

Tembo accused the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) of violating Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 35 of 2021, which required firms to allocate 50 percent of transportation business to local companies.

“The government should immediately terminate the contract awarded to FQM for transporting maize from Tanzania,” Tembo said.

He also called for an investigation into the officers involved in awarding the contract.

FQM recently announced that it would use its returning copper anode export trucks to transport maize imported by DMMU.

The firm is reportedly providing the transport service at a cost of US$500,000 as part of efforts to address the maize shortage caused by last season’s drought.

The maize would be delivered to storage depots in Kapiri Mposhi and the Copperbelt.

However, Minister Mubanga defended the contract, stating it was awarded on humanitarian grounds and that FQM would not handle the entire 650,000 tonnes of maize.

He encouraged local transporters to seek contracts directly from DMMU.

“DMMU has indicated that FQM will not transport everything and I challenge local transporters to approach DMMU for opportunities,” Mubanga said.

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