CHAOTIC ISSUANCE OF MINING LICENCES TO FOREIGN COMPANIES IRK LAMBAS

By Scoop Reporter

MINING companies must prioritise people’s rights ahead of profit making, the Lamba Lima Royal Council of Zambia has charged.

Council member Victor Kalesha has charged that there was a glaring trend of prioritizing profits over people’s rights in the mining sector, a development he said must come to an end.

Mr. Kalesha noted that Zambia was blessed with an abundance of mineral resources and that it was crucial to ensure the rights of local communities were respected and protected.

He noted that the indiscriminate issuance of mining rights without proper consultation and consent from affected communities was a blatant infringement of human rights.

“The recent extension of mining rights to Kagem Mining Limited, covering an excess of 4,429 hectares, raises serious concerns. Despite sitting on 42 square kilometers of land, Kagem is only utilizing less than 10% of this area. Why, then, are we allocating more land to them, potentially displacing local communities and depriving them of their livelihoods?

“We demand to know what plans Kagem has in place for resettling affected communities and whether the chief and local villagers were consulted and gave their consent. It is unacceptable that our mineral wealth is being exploited without tangible benefits for our people,” Mr. Kalesha said.

He called on the Ministry of Mines to prioritise the rights of people over profits and ensure that local communities were involved in decision-making processes regarding mining activities.

“We also urge the Government to promote transparency and accountability in the mining sector. Let us work together to ensure that our mineral resources benefit our people, not just foreign investors,” he said.