REPORTS coming out of Kaaluba area in Mufumbwe District are worrisome.
Barely weeks after the Zambia Army flushed out thousands of illegal miners from Kikonge Gold Mine, the same actors have regrouped and relocated to Kaaluba Stream, bringing with them fear, disorder, and the threat of environmental destruction.
These illegal miners, many of whom sleep in the bush and move freely through villages, are not only a danger to the environment but also to the peace and security enjoyed by the indigenous people of Kaaluba. Already, reports of theft, insults, drunken behaviour and other vices that erode community peace have been made.
Worse still, the suspected gold deposits along Kaaluba Stream have become magnets for the opportunists who care little about the land or the people who depend on it for farming and livelihoods.
The situation is precarious.
What appears calm today could quickly deteriorate into chaos tomorrow, as was witnessed at Kikonge, where thousands of illegal miners camped and overwhelmed local authorities. The fear expressed by residents and the local traditional leader – headman Kanuma – is justified. Illegal mining is not merely an economic crime; it is a social menace. It fuels lawlessness in addition to destroying the environment.
Councillor Danny Mponda’s call for the Zambia Army to extend its operations to Kaaluba is timely. The Army’s intervention at Kikonge demonstrated that decisive action can restore order.
But the lesson from Kaaluba is clear: flushing out miners from one site without a permanent strategy only displaces the problem.
The illegal miners have shown that they can easily regroup, relocate and resume their activities elsewhere. This is a cycle that must be broken.
The Zambia Army’s assurance that they will act once verification is complete is welcome. The warning to illegal miners to vacate the area and its insistence that mining must be formalised are important signals of government resolve.
The dangers of illegal mining are many. Environmentally, it pollutes water systems and destabilises ecosystems that communities rely on for farming and water. Socially, it introduces crime, leaving residents living in fear. Economically, it robs the nation of revenue that could be harnessed through formal mining channels to support development.
In short, illegal mining is a direct assault on Zambia’s stability and prosperity.
What is needed now is permanent and decisive action that ensures illegal mining is eradicated completely and not merely displaced.
To succeed, the fight against illegal mining must rest on several
pillars of action. First, there must be continuous military and police presence in identified hotspots to deter regrouping and ensure that illegal miners do not simply relocate from one area to another. Alongside enforcement, communities must be engaged and empowered to strengthen vigilance and reporting, while discouraging residents from harbouring strangers or allowing illegal activities to take root.
The Zambia Army deserves praise for its decisive action at Kikonge Gold Mine, a move that restored order and reassured communities that lawlessness will not be tolerated. That operation demonstrated discipline, efficiency and national resolve.
It is imperative that the Army replicates its success in Kikonge by extending operations to Kaaluba and other hotspots across North-Western Province and beyond.
Illegal mining is a national security threat. Just as poaching is fought to protect wildlife, illegal mining must be fought to protect communities, land, and national resources. This is not about denying citizens opportunities; it is about ensuring that opportunities are pursued legally, sustainably, and in ways that benefit the nation rather than criminal networks.
The voices of communities like Kaaluba should be heard.
Residents deserve safety and peace of mind. They deserve to farm their land without fear of strangers passing through with shovels and picks. They deserve to know that their environment will not be destroyed by reckless exploitation.
The message must be clear: illegal mining has no place in North-Western Province, nor anywhere else in Zambia. The fight must be relentless, permanent, and total.
Illegal mining must be eradicated permanently
REPORTS coming out of Kaaluba area in Mufumbwe District are worrisome.
Barely weeks after the Zambia Army flushed out thousands of illegal miners from Kikonge Gold Mine, the same actors have regrouped and relocated to Kaaluba Stream, bringing with them fear, disorder, and the threat of environmental destruction.
These illegal miners, many of whom sleep in the bush and move freely through villages, are not only a danger to the environment but also to the peace and security enjoyed by the indigenous people of Kaaluba. Already, reports of theft, insults, drunken behaviour and other vices that erode community peace have been made.
Worse still, the suspected gold deposits along Kaaluba Stream have become magnets for the opportunists who care little about the land or the people who depend on it for farming and livelihoods.
The situation is precarious.
What appears calm today could quickly deteriorate into chaos tomorrow, as was witnessed at Kikonge, where thousands of illegal miners camped and overwhelmed local authorities. The fear expressed by residents and the local traditional leader – headman Kanuma – is justified. Illegal mining is not merely an economic crime; it is a social menace. It fuels lawlessness in addition to destroying the environment.
Councillor Danny Mponda’s call for the Zambia Army to extend its operations to Kaaluba is timely. The Army’s intervention at Kikonge demonstrated that decisive action can restore order.
But the lesson from Kaaluba is clear: flushing out miners from one site without a permanent strategy only displaces the problem.
The illegal miners have shown that they can easily regroup, relocate and resume their activities elsewhere. This is a cycle that must be broken.
The Zambia Army’s assurance that they will act once verification is complete is welcome. The warning to illegal miners to vacate the area and its insistence that mining must be formalised are important signals of government resolve.
The dangers of illegal mining are many. Environmentally, it pollutes water systems and destabilises ecosystems that communities rely on for farming and water. Socially, it introduces crime, leaving residents living in fear. Economically, it robs the nation of revenue that could be harnessed through formal mining channels to support development.
In short, illegal mining is a direct assault on Zambia’s stability and prosperity.
What is needed now is permanent and decisive action that ensures illegal mining is eradicated completely and not merely displaced.
To succeed, the fight against illegal mining must rest on several
pillars of action. First, there must be continuous military and police presence in identified hotspots to deter regrouping and ensure that illegal miners do not simply relocate from one area to another. Alongside enforcement, communities must be engaged and empowered to strengthen vigilance and reporting, while discouraging residents from harbouring strangers or allowing illegal activities to take root.
The Zambia Army deserves praise for its decisive action at Kikonge Gold Mine, a move that restored order and reassured communities that lawlessness will not be tolerated. That operation demonstrated discipline, efficiency and national resolve.
It is imperative that the Army replicates its success in Kikonge by extending operations to Kaaluba and other hotspots across North-Western Province and beyond.
Illegal mining is a national security threat. Just as poaching is fought to protect wildlife, illegal mining must be fought to protect communities, land, and national resources. This is not about denying citizens opportunities; it is about ensuring that opportunities are pursued legally, sustainably, and in ways that benefit the nation rather than criminal networks.
The voices of communities like Kaaluba should be heard.
Residents deserve safety and peace of mind. They deserve to farm their land without fear of strangers passing through with shovels and picks. They deserve to know that their environment will not be destroyed by reckless exploitation.
The message must be clear: illegal mining has no place in North-Western Province, nor anywhere else in Zambia. The fight must be relentless, permanent, and total.