HH Criticises KCM For Not Paying Workers

United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has criticised Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) for failing to pay its workers terminal benefits by the agreed-upon date of 1st March.

Writing on social media, Mr Hichilema posted: “At this point, it does not really matter whether it's Milingo's KCM or Vedanta that will pay the benefits, let the miners be paid now.”

He affirmed that his party stood in solidarity with KCM’s employees and argued that, with all the money being flaunted online by Patriotic Front cadres, it should not be difficult for the government to pay the miners. 

Yesterday, KCM employees embarked on peaceful protests outside the mine to highlight their distress over the delayed payments. 

The striking miners were joined by students from the Copperbelt University and led by the Mine Union Workers of Zambia (MUZ).

MUZ’s president Joseph Chewe told reporters that the ongoing court case between KCM’s former owners Vedanta and the government appointed liquidator, Milingo Lungu, was having an adverse affect on the workers caught in the middle.

He said that the court should do its job and look after the miners, who he said were slipping into abject poverty.