Three mining unions on the Copperbelt have rejected calls by former union Branch Chairman in Mufulira for the comeback of Vedanta to Konkola Copper Miners (KCM).

In a statement made available to Money FM News, the unions that include Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ), NUMAW and UNUZ have said they are not in support of calls by Mr. Percy Chanda to consider bringing back Vedanta.

“We have gathered here to register our disappointment at the sentiments by our former MUZ  and  NUMAW  branch chairman in Mufulira  Mr Percy Chanda championing the comeback of Vedanta to KCM,” the Unions said.

And representing the unions, KCM Miners Representative Jairos Matafwali said it is very clear that Vedanta did not mean well not only to  KCM employees but the Zambian people at large further questioning why the firm should be brought back into the country.

Mr Matafwali said the nation is aware of how Vedanta failed to run KCM bringing one of the mining giants to its knees, a situation that shuttered the future of mining prospects at the mine.

“It is very clear that Vedanta did not mean well not only to us KCM employees but also to the people of Zambian at large. The nation is aware of how Vedanta failed to run KCM bringing one of the mining giants to its knees and shuttering the future of mining prospects at the mine,” Mr Matafwali said.

He explained that Vedanta failed to sustain mining operations of KCM and instead the investor decided to start dealing in scrap metals by stripping the good infrastructures that was inherited at the time of takeover of operations at the mine.

Mr Matafwali further alleged that Vedanta also stopped providing jobs, businesses, and economic support to the communities of Chingola, Chililabombwe, Kitwe, Nampundwe where mining activities were taking place.