Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has urged President Edgar Lungu to rethink his position and meet Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal whilst in India.
Mr Sinkamba says meeting Mr Agarwal through dialogue outside the court process will be less costly for Zambia as the country may be made to pay more if it loses the arbitration process.
He said dialogue between government and the Vedanta Chairman will help resolve outstanding issues between the two parties.
“The Arbitration process in South Africa and the Court case in Zambia can go either way but what is certain is that addressing the issue outside the court will help resolve this issue”, Mr Sinkamba said.
He said he does not see the ZCCM-IH attending the arbitration process in South Africa because they are already in contempt and anyone that will show up their risk being locked up for contempt of Court.
And Mr. Sinkamba said attempts by Mr Agarwal to engage President Edgar Lungu starting with the meeting in Lusaka and now in India is making up a case for arbitration which government must be worry of.
State House has clarified that President Edgar Lungu will not be meeting the Vedanta chairman, Mr. Anil Agarwal or his representatives as he embarks on his state visit in India.
In a statement from India, State House Spokesperson Isaac Chipampe said there has been numerous queries and speculation that President Lungu will be meeting Mr Agarwal and that he is here at the invitation of the businessman.
“As informed last week by State House, the nation is hereby informed once again that his Excellency the President is in India at the invitation of India President His Excellency Ram Nath Kovind.”
Mr Chipampe said President Lungu is expected to meet representatives from 12 Zambian based Indian companies and KCM whose majority shareholder is Vedanta, is not one of them.
He said President Lungu has already stated that the Zambian government will follow the Zambian people’s wish over the KCM issue.
This guy is a pain on Lungu’s backside!
Abena Peter, why you not joining the Forest 27 case, you are an enviromentalist, not a jerabo.
Sinkamba has lost it
Noooo! Why! Are you crazy?
Are you a lawyer by profession Mr. Sinkamba?
The Court we only consider is our Court here in Zambia not SA. I wonder why the Green party guy is worked out for nothing.
Mr.sinkamba
For the respect of Zambian people and citizens, the president should meet Anil garwal in Zambia NOT in India.
Why do you think the president should meet vendetta in India….?
Dr. Peter Sinkamba that is. Mulecindika education ba LT
Iwee jst shut up the President is on the right track, wht”s so special abt meeting a crook who has exploited the Zambians since he took over.
U learnt Zambians are a disappointed who always look to foreigners for the development of this country, wht l can urge all Zambians is, this country will never develop by foreigners bt by us – Zambians. Those foreigners are here to amass wealth ad develop whr they come frm. Ad they won’t give us jobs or make Zambia a rich country bcos this country is same as a farm. U plough, harvest ad wait for the next plant season, all profits taken. Zambians wake up, ad lets us be investors, we hv the resources, y can’t we manage our resources than the foreigners, let’s believe in ourselves than foreigners. Since the UNIP govt we hv lost a lot of billions…
WHAT A CRAZY SUGGESTION!
Why India? The guy is Indian, but who says he lives in India?
In case the President has already met the follow.
Tomorrow yo will the first id1ot to talk about BROWN ENVELOPE.
Ku Luapula twalikwata amano..
There is more to the President Lungu’s Statement than what meets the eye. Of course the talks between Zambian Govt Officials and Indian Govt/Vedanta Officials will be Secret. On behalf of Vedanta the Indian Govt has sought assurances from Lungu and Zambian Govt that Vedanta will be adequately Compensated for loss of their Shares in KCM. The Zambian Govt will surely pay Vedanta adequate Compensation. In situations like this Quiet Diplomacy is Paramount.
Usually the head of the Green Party makes good contributions but on this one you are offside. State President Lungu is right. No negotiations can be done in India with Vendetta when they have 1. not Paid suppliers 2.not Remitted taxes 3. not Paid mineral royalty 4. not Paid Zccm-ih its dividends 5. not Depolluted kafubu river 6. Instituted pitiful proceedings in an SA court and 7. generally under paid the workers…How do you discuss with such a kadanser just because he drinks tea with President Modi?
Why should the whole President be meeting a Chairman of a foreign corporation..this is how cheap the office of President has been reduced to you never learned anything from the first meeting with Mwanawasa no wonder Anil brags. Anil should be meeting ZCCM CEO if there is one or Mines PS or Minister….am sure half the cabinet is in India wasting money.
@ Jay Jay
Iwe Jay Jay, bola panshi naiwe. You guys have been so brainwashed that you dont even read and understand anything, all you think about is to wish President Lungu ill. The person suggesting that President Lungu is an opposition Leader of Green Party, a Mr. Peter Sinkamba. This was after President Lungu clearly stated that he will NOT meet Vendata chairman whilst he is on State visit to India! Please, we know you have squandered your all your retirement money and the only thing you can cling on is to see everyone doing fine as either corrupt or an enemy. Measure up please.
You are a so gullible do you not know that he is in Anil’s backyard …he is going to also meet Indian businessmen in Delhi there are so many opportunities to meet Anil, you go ahead and believe a crook like Lazy Lungu who travels for 3 day away from home every week without his wife even on a state visit!!
Jay Jay
YOU ARE A DISGUSTING PIECE OF SH… IT.
ECL IS OUR PRESIDENT
@Zambia First – likewise..your President is a very dull chap who should NEVER have travelled in the first place. He should be in State House hosting a press conference and clarifying so many issues like 48 houses, Forest 27, Bill 10…surely how can someone lead a nation in a democracy without ever hosting a press conference.
Wake up from your stupor!!
The mines in question do not belong to the president of zambia , it actually belongs to all Zambians however the president speaks what zambians want , if the miners have said no to vendata then it is no , no amount of pressure should be applied on the president .
SINKAMBA SHOULD DECLARE HIS SELF INTEREST IN ALL THIS.
JUST LIKE HIS PARTY, HE IS IN THE BUSINESS OF LOBYING FOR HIS CLIENTS: LIKE KCM.
Jay Jay iwee kwata mano,the president as said it over again and again that he will not meet Anil and it is very clear why are you so stubborn and Ba Peter are you really Zambian?Sikamba sure a you thinking properly you need to visit the surcatric hospital before it is too late.Ba sikamba basaika.
I dont trust a man like Lazy Lungu..he is a corrupt two bit chancer.
Did any of you believe that ECL would not meet Vedanta Reurces?as for me did not and reason being watch every situation the PF Government speaks in opposite when they say “white they actually mean black”
Only a foooool called a PF cadre would believe a playboy who is swift to go on State visits without his wife.
The posture of argawal was most disrespectful and arrogant. The chap even has the cheek to keep his hand in the pocket. Uzi nkala naulemu
That’s what you get when you’re captured president, where is the next distination?
It’s the way to go
How impolite — shaking hands with the President with his left hand stuck firmly in his pocket. Some body language from a man who thinks he’s superior.
The guy is shaking Lungu’s hand with the other hand in his pocket, what manner of insolence is this?