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maamba au parlement le 23 septembre
Hon. UPND Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Kambwili: There is only one simple solution to this and that is the Government should pay off all retirees and former employees who are no longer working for Maamba Collieries, but have remained on the pay roll. Once that is done, we will not even need an investor. The mine can run. ZCCM-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) took over the operations of Maamba Collieries one year ago. The problem ZCCM-IH is facing is the payment of salaries to people who are not even working. They are being paid because the company has failed to pay them separation packages. If the Government paid the separation packages, Maamba Collieries will run under ZCCM-IH without bringing in an investor.
Mr Muyanda: You are right, my brother. Hammer!
Mr Kambwili: We have a lot of coal that has been mined at Maamba, and yet some of the mining companies are importing coal from Zimbabwe. Of course we can support our neighbours by providing a market, but we can only provide a market when we have exhausted the local one. It does not make sense to continue importing coal from Hwange when there is coal at Maamba.
Mr Speaker, I urge the hon. Minister of Mines and Minerals Development to seriously consider revamping the Maamba Mine.
Mr Speaker, finally, I wish to say that when I was in the United Kingdom two weeks ago, …
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Kambwili: … one white man, a Mr John Cowan, told me that Africa was richer than Europe. He said the problem we have is that our politics are so presidential based that we always want to leave decisions to the President. However, when there is a President who cannot perform, like is the case in many African countries, Zambia inclusive, the country goes on auto pilot. We need hon. Ministers who can make decisions and criticise the President within Cabinet when they know that a wrong decision has been made.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mrs Masebo: Where? Which country? In the Zambian Cabinet?
Mr V. Mwale: Anakunama wamene uyo Cowan.
Mr Kambwili: We do not want hon. Ministers who are going to be yes bwanas if we are going to develop.
Interruptions
Mr Kambwili: I took this muzungu very seriously because the problem that we have in Africa is that when a new head of State comes into office, he changes everything that the previous one embarked on.
Mrs Phiri: Hear, hear!
Mr Kambwili: In my language there is a saying that goes, “Ngawaupa umwanakashi uwaupwapo, wilaumfwa ubufuba pali balya abana wasanga mung’anda. Fylamo abobe”
Mrs Phiri: Hear, hear!
Mr Kambwili: This means that when you marry a woman who already has children, do not be jealous of the children, but just produce your own.
Hon. Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Kambwili: I am, therefore, urging politicians to be serious in the way we carry out development programmes of this country by doing the right thing at the right time.
Mr Speaker, with these few words, I thank you.
Hon. Opposition Members: Hear, hear!
Mr Speaker: Order!
Mr Sejani (Mapatizya): Mr Speaker, I am indebted to you for this opportunity to make my contribution to this very important debate.
Mr Speaker, in debating the President’s Speech, I am not going to talk about the malaise and hopelessness which is afflicting this country.
Laughter