Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) Centre Coordinator ChenaiMukumba has appealed to government to ensure that foreign investments in the country are monitored.
Ms. Mukumba says most Foreign Direct Investment entering the country is left unchecked posing a threat to consumers.
The Centre coordinator was reacting to a recent scandal of Chinese nationals producing fake mineral water under the Aquasavanna brand in Lusaka recently.
She stated that as a consumer organisation it is a breach of trust to the consumers as the faith that consumers have on the particular brand is affected.
Ms. Mukumba noted that it is Important to make thorough follow ups and inspections especially with the foreign investment coming in the country.
She explained that it is important for the foreign investors to indicate that they have enough resources to invest in the country to avoid dishonest practices.
Ms. Mukumba added that follow ups and inspections should thereafter be conducted to ensure that the investors are actually undertaking the specific activity that they registered for.
She urged Fairy Bottlers Zambia Limited who are the owners of the Aquasavanna brand to put in place measures to ensure that the situation is corrected and that consumers are protected.
This week, investigation revealed how a Chinese-owned company called Simuliya has been manufacturing counterfeit mineral water for various bottling companies in Zambia, among them Aquasavana and Aquarite and that certain police officers have been accused of trying to cover up the incident.
Chief government spokesperson Dora Siliya says if found guilty, the Chinese nationals will be deported immediately.
Dr Mohamed El Sahili, the company director of Fairy Bottling which produces Aquasavana Mineral water, alleges the Chinese were making counterfeit products, taking empty Aquasavana bottles obtained from supermarkets and filling them with the fake water.
After the suspects were taken to the police station, several top officers at the Kanyama police station attempted to cover up the crime, Sahili asserted.
A man claiming to be the President of the Zambia China Business Association arrived at the station and told senior officers that his association had made a lot of donations to the Kanyama police.
A senior police officer at the station then warned that it would be better not to pursue any further action because it could ruin Aquasavana’s business.
The Zambia Bureau of Standards has taken samples of the water for testing.
Reported by Lusaka Times on: https://www.lusakatimes.com/