'Konkola under care and maintenance,’ church leader, Kazhila, calls for swift hand over

Outspoken Chingola Life Gospel Church International Bishop, Joseph Kazhila, has called for immediate resolution of the pending issues at Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) as the mine is almost under care and maintenance.

Kazhila said : “KCM at this stage is almost under care and maintenance because of the delays by the so-called court approved process of scheme of arrangement. No production at all.”

He noted in an interview on Thursday that in Chingola the smelter also was down.

Kazhila said workers, management, business communities, residents and other stakeholders were overly stressed and sliding into hopelessness and despondency.

“As the investor, Vedanta, can’t fully take over and run the entity as pledged until the court process is over,” he said.

Kazhila appealed to government lawyers and the courts to expedite the process by treating it as an emergency adding that otherwise the worst might just happen.

“How come it was easier with the same court in appointing liquidators but taking too long to do the needful for reversals,” he wondered.

Kazhila further remarked that people had hopefully waited for too long, but it shouldn’t be allowed to go any further as people’s patience might be waning.

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