Mine advocacy group demands government’s full disclosure of Konkola deal

Copperbelt Civil Society Mining Consultative Forum Chairperson, Gerald Mutelo, says the government should reveal the agreements on Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) to the public.

Mutelo stated in a statement on Friday that there was a need for the government to disclose structured agreements regarding KCM, which was handed over to Vedanta Resources.

He said the road map documents which included the implementation agreement, shareholders agreement and scheme of creditors should be made public.

“We urge the government to consider making all relevant partnership agreements public in the interest of transparency and accountability,” Mutelo said.

He hoped that the negotiations and the issue of investment into the Konkola Deep Project (KDMP) would be placed at the forefront of deliberations.

The coalition is also interested in knowing the government’s position on the Vedanta outsourcing policy.

Mutelo said Vedanta should be inclusive in its approach and be transparent when establishing its corporate social investment vehicle called the community trust.

Zambia Monitor reported that Mines and Mineral Development Minister, Paul Kabuswe, announced in Lusaka on Tuesday the handing over of KCM to Vedanta.

Kabuswe indicated that Vedanta pledged to invest US$1 billion in mine development in the next five years, pay local suppliers US$250 million, K2,500 to each employee one-off and a 20 percent salary hike across the board.

CSOs under the advocacy group included the Democratic Governance and Human Rights Advocates (DEGHA), Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW), Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace-Catholic Diocese of Ndola and Emerald and Semi-Precious Minerals Association of Zambia (ESMAZ).

Others are Citizens for Transportation Network, Sustainable Natural Resource Initiative (SUNREI) Kirila Natural Association, Development Education Project (DECOP), Future-Preneur Zambia (FPZ), Activists for Justice and Development (AJUDE), Action for Sustainable development and Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ).

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