OPERATION Young Vote has asked the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings Board to review the appointment of its chief executive officer Dr Pius Kasolo over his alleged South African nationality.

But Dr Kasolo says this is an old issue that is only meant to bring him down.

On October 5, 2017, the Operation Young Vote (OYV) wrote Minister of Home Affairs in a letter referenced “Proof of Dr Pius Kasolo’s South African citizenship”.

In that letter that was also copied to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Commerce, Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines-Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) vice-chairperson Fredson Yamba and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) chief executive officer, the OYV provided what it termed ‘proof’ of Dr Kasolo’s South African citizenship.

The non-governmental organisation indicated that it was providing the information because it felt that Dr Kasolo was not committed to transparency and accountability regarding his citizenship.

“Dr Pius Kasolo’s South African Identity number as he has provided on various South African Institutions on which he serves as [a] director is 5801255256089 and that of his son Mr Peter Mashekwa Kasolo’s South African identity is 92110335440084. The first six digits are that of the date and year of birth, the most significant number is the 11th digit which is a zero,” read the letter to the Minister of Home Affairs, in part.

“The significance is that if the eleventh digit on the identity number is a zero, it indicates that the holder of the South African identity is a South African citizen. On the other hand, if the eleventh digit is a 1, it indicates that the holder is only a South African resident. These details demonstrate that Dr. Pius Kasolo was a South African citizen at the time of his appointment as ZCCM-IH CEO in 2014. Hon Minister, we are writing to your good office to express serious concern over the selective application of law enforcement by security agencies, which are under the supervision of your ministry regarding citizens of different classes. We also feel that Dr Pius Kasolo, by concealing his South African citizenship, may have violated our laws particularly section 52(2) as read with section 56 of the immigration and deportation Act No. 18 of the Laws of Zambia.”

In a press statement to follow-up on Dr Kasolo’s nationality, OYV executive director Guess Nyirenda stated that its letter to the Minister of Home Affairs bordered on good corporate governance, among other merits.

“On the basis of good corporate governance and good political and democratic governance of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) which espouses commitment to transparency and accountability and respect for the rule of law respectively, to which Zambia is a party, we at Operation Young Vote on 5th October 2017 wrote to the Minister of Home Affairs questioning the nationality of Dr Pius Kasolo, the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines – Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) chief executive officer whom according to the South African identity number he himself provided to various institutions where he serves as [a] director. This number like we revealed earlier is 5801255256089. This identity number is clearly for a South African citizen. However, at that time, Dr Kasolo denied being South African citizen when he was getting the ZCCM-IH top job as chief executive officer in 2014,” Nyirenda claimed.

He stated that the OYV’s contention then was and still is that of selective application of the law by those charged with the mandate and responsibility to do so.

“Since these institutions (the law enforcement agencies and security wings) fall under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs, we are convinced that at the time of his appointment as chief executive officer for ZCCM-IH, Dr Kasolo did conceal his South African nationality, hence breached our laws particularly Section 52(2) as read with Section 56 of the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of the Laws of Zambia,” Nyirenda stated.

“Further, we had written to the Minister of Home Affairs in the interest of justice as the Zambia Police Service and the Immigration Department moved swiftly to hound out musician Mumba Yachi on similar allegations of concealing his Congolese citizenship.”

He stated that his organisation had been prompted to issue a follow-up statement on the matter based on the newly found evidence – in the name of Dr Pius Kasolo’s South African passport copy.

“With this latest development (new/extra evidence), we would like to appeal to the Minister of Home Affairs to do the needful and due diligence on this noble call and indeed show Zambians and the world at large that we are being governed under the regime of laws and not men and that there is total regard and respect for the rule of law and further that no individual is above the law,” stated Nyirenda.

“It is our conviction that the Hon Minister of Home Affairs will address himself to this unfair and selective application of the law by our security wings, thereby demystifying all doubts that Zambia may have acceded to the APRM and the themes and objectives provided therein for expedience’s sake but that the commitment is real and alive. We therefore call on the ZCCM-IH Board to review his appointment and further demand that appropriate action be taken by the Police and the Immigration Department.”

When contacted, Dr Kasolo asked for a query to be written so that he could answer to the issues being raised, which he said were not new.

“Last year, there was a big story and it was answered. If you want it to be answered just send it [query] to my office and I will answer it. Just phone ZCCM, my public relations manager and they will get it,” he said.
Reminded that it was about him personally, not ZCCM-IH, Dr Kasolo said ultimately it affected business as well.
“Actually it’s my father’s birthday today (Friday); you can go to Chamba Valley and interview him and he can tell you the details about me if you want, very simple. My father is surviving, you know my brother Anthony, you my brother Kasolo the PS, so they can write anything they want but you can go and find out yourself and investigate then come to me, make an appointment and come and sit with me next week and we can come and talk,” Dr Kasolo advised.
Told that there was a copy of his South African Passport, which indicates that he is a South African citizen, Dr Kasolo said, “But people can do all those things but first investigate and then come and see me. You can come to my office next week.”

Further told that the OYV had written to the home affairs minister about the same thing last year, Dr Kasolo said, “Actually Guess, what’s his name again? Guess something even came to my office for interviews and went and interviewed my father and my brother and that’s when it was dropped. Now it has started again.”

He also queried about who was behind the OYV.

“You know Zambians, they always…immediately you do something good like we have just announced profit in ZCCM-IH, now they have to come up with something silly to bring me down, but they are wasting their time,” he said.
Later, Dr Kasolo said, “This is an old issue trying to bring me down. Guest Nyirenda even came to my office to apologise about this. I have his recording. I have never hidden anything. I am a Zambian born to two Zambians. My father Peter Kasolo is 93 years old today (Friday). You can go and interview him about my nationality. I have never denounced my Zambian Citizenship and have always remained a Zambian. You can even trace my mother’s village through the late Michael Sata. I was a founder and funder of PF from its inception. Ask the SG of PF or Given Lubinda,” said Dr Kasolo.