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ESMAZ President Victor Kalesha
Emerald and semi-precious stones mining Association of Zambia (ESMAZ) President Victor Kalesha has defended Gemcanton Investments Holdings Limited in Lufwanyama from what happened at Ebenezer Gem-field mine in Lufwanyama.
Mr. Kalesha says the unfortunate incident that happened at Ebenezer has got nothing to do with Gemcanton as a company.
He has dismissed the article published in the daily nation newspaper that the Senegalese nationals at Gemcanton Investments Holdings Limited in Lufwanyama are handling guns.
Mr. Kalesha says the story has created an impression as though the environment in Lufwanyama is filled with persons carrying firearms in the community surrounding the investment describing the situation as an unacceptable and cannot be tolerated especially that, it is coming from a social institution expected to bear interest in the welfare of the community.
Mr. Kalesha adds that the company has in the past been operating for over 20 under Grizzly Mining Limited and there has never been any single case of shooting nor torture, apart from the recent torture which was ordered by the new partner in the company who has since been deported.
Mr. Kalesha says there are no Senegalese nationals at Gemcanton Investments Holdings Limited handling fire arms.
And Wolle Investment Limited spokesperson Barbra Kafwilo says the allegations made in an article published by Daily Nation on 30th December, 2017 “entitled arrest foreign investors are false and malicious.
Mrs. Kafwilo says the story is false, unbalanced and written with intent to set the tone of xenophobia in Lufwanyama district where Gemcanton operates.
She says it is no doubt that the story instills fear of foreigners and strangers among the people residing in the surrounding area of the investment.