Zambians see red over Chinese investments
Fears of Chinese involvement in the Zambian economy have spilt over into xenophobic riots against Chinese nationals
Zambia has long prided itself on the stability and hospitality it offers. It was home to SA freedom fighters during apartheid; former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and former Namibian president Sam Nujoma lived there before their countries gained independence; and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa studied law at the University of Zambia.This hospitality has drawn the attention of China, which has developed strong ties with Zambia. According to the Zambian ministry of home affairs, the more than 20,000 Chinese people who now live in the country have invested about $5bn in more than 280 business enterprises in mining, manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure development and resource extraction.However, there’s a popular perception that Chinese involvement in the economy has come at the expense of Zambians. Xenophobic protests against Chinese nationals broke out in the Copperbelt city of Kitwe this month. Hundreds of people rioted after a rumour circulated that the govern...
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