VICE-PRESIDENT M u t a l e N a l u m a n g o says contrary to certain perceptions, an investor is not any enemy of the people, arguing that there is need to tell the story that investors mean well. And Sinazongwe UPND member of parliament Gift Sialubalo has commended Maamba Collieries Limited (MLCs) for being “the most committed to corporate social responsibility firm in Zambia”. Speaking when she toured MLC, Monday Vice-President Nalumango described the firm’s CRS undertaking as huge. “The corporate social responsibility is huge here. I think every Zambian village or town is looking for a private investor to go to them if everybody behaves in the manner that like Maamba Collieries is behaving, it is huge. We care as government about the displacement because people come, they set up and after they have set up their company, the people are displaced, and they go right back probably in the worst situation like that house you showed me my sister. But look at what you have done, you have respected people in a better housing facility. Is that not what we are looking for to change the livelihoods of our people? And that starts with the housing, we commend,” she said “Colleagues, look at the roads, that is what we expect, and would anybody complain? Because I know our people, when they hear investor, [they think it] is an enemy of the people. But what we need is to tell this story that an investor is not an enemy of the people, an investor means well because what is happening here, and I am so happy because the MP is here, they are the ones who give us all sorts of sleepless nights about everything and everyone but the MP, member of parliament here honorable Sialubalo has confirmed that you have been working.” She said government was grateful that MLC was not just complying with the law but fulfilling people’s expectations. “Now that I am here, I am so grateful, you are truly working to comply with not just the law of our country but also expectations of our people. Like my colleagues that have already commended, and I would invite you to diversify into other areas,” Vice-President Nalumango said.

She encouraged the company to ensure environmental protection in its operations. “And another thing that I should talk about is smart mining that you are doing, being able to even fill up the holes that were left earlier and for that, I commend you. We encourage you to go on and care for your people like your own, you have only one earth on the issue of environmental sustainability. You only have one earth and Zambia sits on this earth so anything you do that makes us avoid climate change is important,” said VicePresident Nalumango.

And Sialubalo also commended MLCs’ commitment to CSR. “Madam, when I visit your office talking about Maamba Collieries, don’t term me praise singer of Maamba Collieries. Maamba Collieries has been a major partner in the development of Sinazongwe. Apart from what you have seen, they constructed a shelter at the same hospital where we are heading to [and] right now, what they are doing is they are patching up Batoka-Maamba road which is in a bad state. I just wrote a letter to them to say as we wait for government to come in, what can we do together [and] within a week, they were on site. They are doing a commendable job, there is no investor, Madam, that I have seen in Zambia who is more committed to CSR rather Maamba Collieries, they deserve our support as government,” said Sialubalo.

Meanwhile, MLC senior electrical engineer Robby Mwelwa said the firm injected over 250 megawatts into the national grid per day and contributed about K2 billion to the national treasury as
at September 30. “We inject 267.6 megawatts into the national grid, so we generate 300, the rest we use it for auxiliary consumption and what remains is what we inject in the national grid. So our
operations here, your honour, are actually in tandem, we collaborate with ZESCO our shut down, whatever we need to do, we are in contact with ZESCO and ZESCO will always advise on what we need to do. This is our thermal power plant performance your honour, as of 30th September 2022, we have been able to inject 9,663 megawatt hours into the national grid,” he said.

We have now been able to inject about K2.166 billion in the national treasury as of 30th September, we are working in tandem with the 8th National Development Plan, and we contribute 10% to the national installed capacity. So, as you can see your honour from the pie chart here, most of the power generated in Zambia is hydro sitting at 81% and for us Maamba we are able to contribute
10% using this coal which was regarded as waste.”

Mwelwa reaffirmed the company’s commitment to CSR. “You honour, here, our philosophy is that as the company grows, we need to grow the community where we are operating in. Our motto is
making a difference. As MCL, we believe in making a difference in our operational areas so for us to be able to achieve or deliver, we have areas which we consider. So for our CSR activities, they are centred on education, health and sports, environmental as well as infrastructure development,” said Mwelwa.