Sat, 24 Jun 2017 11:41:15 +0000
By Jackson Mapapayi
Kasempa residents are protesting the blackmail of traditional leaders by foreign owners of a mining company over the disputed exploration license of the Katokamema mine.
The dispute, which has lasted two years, comes on the heels of a decision by the Ministry of Mines to cancel the mining license number 16199-HQ-LPL held by Avarma Mining Company Ltd and awarded it to Katenge Mining Resources Ltd which was a company meant to represent and benefit the community.
However, an investigation of company records shows that almost immediately the company was sold off by its Zambian directors to foreign shareholders of Russian and Ukrainian nationality who now hold majority of shares, leaving the community without any interest in the company or its operations.
Local sources say that these directors are well known agitators and repeatedly act against the interest of the community, only caring for their personal gain.
There is concern amongst many in the region that the project may not benefit the community due to visible and invisible hands that seek to profit by the project behind the scenes and at the expense of the local people.
These hands are individuals from within Kasempa community who have been previously linked to illegal mining in the area and some senior Government officials from the Ministry of Mines who are bent on looting what belongs to the people, by supporting foreign ownership while purporting that the mine belongs to the community.
Avarma Mining Limited took the matter to court in 2015, and on 15 March this year a judgment was passed in favour of Avarma Mining with an order that the mine in dispute be restored to the company.
However to date, the court order has not been complied with, and multiple notices of appeal by both the Ministry of Mines and Katenge Resources have been lodged, challenging the court decision.
It is unclear what motivates the Ministry of Mines to become involved in challenging the court over the judgment, as the Government is not a stakeholder in the project and has received multiple complaints against the actions of Katenge Resources from local leaders.
Records from Patents and Company Registration Agency office (PACRA), reveal that both Katenge Resources and Topfat Gold Mining is majority-owned by the same group of Russian and Ukrainian persons.
According to information from local sources in Kasempa, Topfat Gold Mining has partnered with Katenge Resources to carry out mining operations, further reducing involvement of the community in the operation.
An internet search on the firm has thrown up video evidence on YouTube, among other websites, which shows Topfat and a foreign company with minority shares in Katenge Resources and Topfat Gold Mining, is currently promoting the mining operation in Katokamema for the purpose of selling its shares to raise cash for the mining operation.
Despite the lack of a mining license and an active ruling ordering the return of the exploration license to Avarma, the company has been posting videos with what appears to be mining taking place at the disputed territory.
One video shows 5 grams of gold being obtained from ore at the site by manual means.
Sources in Kasempa confirm that workers there are carrying out mining and digging at the disputed license area for Topfat, despite being aware of the outcome of the court case.
Directors for the company told the community via a local radio and press statements that the mine will open regardless.
A Russian shareholder, Aleksandr Ogloblin, appears to be leading the group according to press releases of the company, appearing under a pseudonym “Aleksandr Glebov” and claiming that the active mining operation has the full blessing of the Zambian Government.
And Mr Ogloblin appears in a video of a meeting between himself and the Minister of Mines Christopher Yaluma dated 3rd April, 2017, two weeks after the court ruling was issued in favour of Avarma, where he is assured by the minister that “your investment will be protected in Zambia. It will be protected because it is your investment into Zambia.”
Mr Yaluma goes on to say, “If you fail, then the Government fails…..So we make sure we protect your investment.”
Sources further inform this newspaper that Topfat is putting pressure on local leaders and blackmailing the community to force them to obtain a mining license by any means.
Consequently, two traditional leaders from the district are scheduled to travel to Lusaka to push for full mining license with the Ministry of Mines, despite a court judgment still being in effect.
