REVOKE MINING LICENCES – CHIEF KASEMPA

By PRISCA LUMINGU in Kasempa
TRADITIONAL leaders in Kasempa have demanded for the revocation of all mining licences in the area because the locals are not benefitting from the mineral resources.
Chief Kasempa of the Kaonde people said the chiefdom has over 144 mining licences and the activities are dormant.
Chief Kasempa said this through his advisor Hurriwell Lubinga when Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati, Labour and Social Security Minister Brenda Tambatamba and North Western Province Minister Robert Lihefu paid a courtesy call on him.
He said the traditional leadership is not even aware on who authorised the licences as they were not involved in the process.
“We have 144 mining licences just here in Kasempa, we are not able to see any of the 144, even the people who gave them the licences we are not aware,” Chief Kasempa said.
He said the people who obtained the licences are not on the ground as there are no mining activities taking place despite government issuing 144 licences in the area.
Chief Kasempa said it is unfair for the district to have so many mining licences while the local people are not benefitting anything even through social corporate responsibility.
“Here we are not seeing any benefits of the natural resources, why issue licences when people in the areas cannot benefit. These people are just paying levies to the government each year. We are taking advantage of you ministers so that you can deliver the message to your counterpart, the Minister of Mines” he said.
Chief Kasempa said it was time sanity was restored in the mining sector.
And the traditional leadership also expressed displeasure that the education levels in the area are still low, a situation which needs to be improved.
He also bemoaned the poor state of the road infrastructure in the district.
Chief Kasempa appealed to the minister of Technology and Science to work on the communication towers so that the district can be connected.
And in response, Mr Mutati assured the traditional leadership that the new dawn government is committed to deliver the campaign promises it made.
Mr Mutati also said that he was aware the chiefdom had challenges of communication especially mobile telephone communication and his ministry would ensure that is worked on.
“The assurance that we can give you as the new dawn government is that, we are going to attend to all challenges that are faced by the people,” Mr Mutati said.