{"id":34613,"date":"2022-11-14T22:54:16","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T22:54:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm"},"modified":"2022-11-14T23:39:58","modified_gmt":"2022-11-14T23:39:58","slug":"uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm","title":{"rendered":"UK lobbying firm helped UPND with elections in exchange for favours for FQM"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Zambia. <\/strong><\/span>A lobbying firm with deep ties to the UK Conservative party helped the UPND to win elections in exchange for millions of pounds from a mining company.<\/p>\n

According to the Guardian Newspaper, CT Group, co-owned by Lynton Crosby, a veteran Conservative strategist planned secretive African campaign on behalf of First Quantum Minerals in Zambia and the DRC.<\/p>\n

The files suggest CT Group also worked, under the radar, on a political influence campaign in Zambia on behalf of mining interests while working on a campaign to oust the country\u2019s president.<\/p>\n

CTF assured First Quantum that its work would be carried out on a confidential basis, pledging that it would \u201cnot comment on the client or elections unless explicitly authorised to do so\u201d. First Quantum did not respond to multiple requests for comment.<\/p>\n

The files suggest that in 2014 CTF conducted polling and focus group research in Zambia and also fed political intelligence to its client about which political party \u201cwould likely have a more favourable and consistent approach towards the mining sector\u201d.<\/p>\n

A source familiar with its work in Zambia said CTF went on to support the election of business-friendly opposition politician, Hakainde Hichilema, in a special election in 2015.<\/p>\n

Mr. Hichilema outperformed expectations but failed to gain the presidency; he was elected Zambia\u2019s president last year. Some of CTF\u2019s work in Zambia prior to the election remains active today.<\/p>\n

According to the leaked documents, the firm established an online news website that it boasted had become \u201ca recognised independent voice of authority\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u201cOpen Zambia\u201d website continues to publish articles and describes itself as \u201cZambia\u2019s only independent news source\u201d and heralds its role in \u201cpromoting transparency\u201d.<\/p>\n

The site, which frequently carries articles favourable to First Quantum, does not disclose it was established by a London-based lobbying firm. There is no suggestion CT Group engaged in unlawful activities on behalf of clients in the mining sector.<\/p>\n

In its statement, CT Group said: \u201cIt is no secret that we have worked on election campaigns internationally, and strictly adhere to all relevant laws and regulations in those jurisdictions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have supported campaigns in a range of countries, including the DRC and Zambia. Supporting a candidate, be they an incumbent or in opposition, in an election campaign is taking part in the democratic process.\u201d<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Zambia<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Zambia. A lobbying firm with deep ties to the UK Conservative party helped the UPND to win elections in exchange for millions of pounds from a mining company. According to the Guardian Newspaper, CT Group, co-owned by Lynton Crosby, a veteran Conservative strategist planned secretive African campaign on behalf of First Quantum Minerals […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":34612,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,25,10,248],"tags":[234,235,233],"class_list":["post-34613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-featured","category-parties","category-to-homepage","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-zambia","tag-zambia"],"yoast_head":"\nUK lobbying firm helped UPND with elections in exchange for favours for FQM - Zambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A lobbying firm with deep ties to the UK Conservative party helped the UPND to win elections in exchange for millions of ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UK lobbying firm helped UPND with elections in exchange for favours for FQM\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A lobbying firm with deep ties to the UK Conservative party helped the UPND to win elections in exchange for millions of ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Zambia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-11-14T22:54:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-11-14T23:39:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/zambia\/sites\/35\/2022\/11\/postQueueImg_1668453885.03.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"UK lobbying firm helped UPND with elections in exchange for favours for FQM\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-11-14T22:54:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-11-14T23:39:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm\"},\"wordCount\":407,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/zambia\/sites\/35\/2022\/11\/postQueueImg_1668453885.03.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Africa Press\",\"Africa Press-Zambia\",\"Zambia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"Featured\",\"parties\",\"to-homepage\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zambia\/all-news\/uk-lobbying-firm-helped-upnd-with-elections-in-exchange-for-favours-for-fqm\",\"name\":\"UK lobbying firm helped UPND with elections in exchange for favours for FQM - 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