SPEAKER of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Matibini has instructed Mines and Minerals Development Minister Richard Musukwa to give a comprehensive statement on the liquidation of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to the House this Thursday.

This was in response to a point of order raised by PF Nchanga member of parliament Chilombo Chali on November 12, 2020, who asked if Musukwa was in order not to update the House on the status of KCM after he had promised to give a detailed statement in October.

In his response, Dr Matibini said Musukwa was not out of order but instructed him to present a detailed statement on KCM on Thursday.

“Honourable members, the verbatim record of the proceedings of the House of Tuesday, 6th of October, 2020, reveal that the genesis of the point of order is a response to question for oral answer for number 42, which was asked by Mr C. Chali, MP, to the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development. The relevant part of the question reads as follows and I quote ‘To ask the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development; (a) to ask what is the status of the liquidation process of Konkola Copper Mines as of July 2020′. In response to this part of the question, Honourable R Musukwa, MP, Minister of Mines and Mineral Development, responded as follows: I quote ‘Mr Speaker, government will present a comprehensive statement over the liquidation of Konkola Copper Mines KCM at an appropriate time at the instance of the honourable Mr Speaker’s authority’,” said Dr Matibini.

“Honourable members, from the foregoing, it is self-evident that the honourable Minister undertook to give a comprehensive report to the House on the status of the liquidation at a later date. What is also clear is that the honourable Minister did not indicate the day when they will render the said Ministerial statement to the House. In view of this, I find that the Minister was not out of order for not having rendered the ministerial statement to date. However, given the time lapse since the undertaking was made and in order to expedite this process, I hereby direct the Minister of Mines and Minerals development to render a comprehensive statement on the status of the liquidation of KCM to the House on Thursday, 26th November, 2020.”