President Edgar Lungu today met Vedanta chairman Anil Argawal who expressed desire to continue running KCM but the Head of State insisted that the liquidation process would continue.

This is according to a statement issued by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Isaac Chipampe this evening.

“His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia today met the Chairman of Vedanta Mr Anil Argawal at the request of the investor. The meeting was held at the request of the businessman and His Excellency the President accepted to meet him to listen to what he had to say.
The Vedanta Chief expressed his desire to continue running the mine and, among other things, to pay the debt owed to suppliers and contractors, and to reinvest in the mine and, restructure the shareholding of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM). The President stated that the position that the Government has taken has the support of the people of Zambia, and the meeting will not affect the ongoing liquidation process,” Chipampe stated.

Meanwhile, President Lungu is scheduled to attend the 39th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government Summit in Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania from 16th to 18th August, 2019.

According to a separate statement from Chipampe, the Head PF State will also visit India on August 20 at the invitation of that country’s leader.

“During this visit, six memoranda of understanding on cooperation between Zambia and India are expected to be signed in Geology, Mining, Defense, Telecommunications, Diplomacy and Elections. In a meeting with India’s High Commissioner to Zambia, His Excellency Mr N.J. Gangte at State House this morning, the President said he is happy to visit India and that the visit is a culmination of an invitation by India’s President Ram Nath Kovind when he visited Zambia last year,” stated Chipampe.