Illegal mining clampdown elates State House
By Thandizo Banda
STATE House has insisted that the ongoing clampdown on illegal mining activities is a decisive measure to ensure Zambia’s mineral wealth benefits all Zambians.
State House chief communications specialist Clayson Hamasaka, in a statement, said the wealth generated should contribute to national development, improve living standards, and reduce poverty.
“President Hakainde Hichilema holds both a moral and constitutional duty to uphold law and order across Zambia, including within the nation’s economic sectors,” Hamasaka said.
He said the initiative provided vital protection against the negative patterns emerging in other regions, where criminal syndicates seize control of mining sites, terrorise communities, and generate persistent instability.
Hamasaka said illegal mining was not harmless as it fuels organised crime, undermines national security, destroys the environment, and strips citizens of their rightful share of resources.
“The government recognises the vital role that artisanal and small-scale miners play in Zambia’s economy,” he said.
Hamasaka observed that the initiative was not aimed at those who wished to mine legally and responsibly.
“Our natural resources are meant to be a blessing, not a burden, contributing to the nation’s treasury and supporting every Zambian. President Hichilema is committed to ensuring that mining operations are conducted with transparency, within the law, and for the benefit of all,” he said.
He said Hichilema authorised expert teams to study international best practices, with a focus on how Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE had managed to regulate natural assets.
” In regions where resources such as oil have been managed responsibly, nations have achieved sustainable economic growth, advanced infrastructure, and improved quality of life for their people,” he said.
“Conversely, where governance has failed and resources have been mismanaged, countries have suffered environmental devastation and conflict over mineral-rich territory,” he said.
Hamasaka said Hichilema had consistently emphasised that open and disciplined resource management was essential for Zambia’s progress.
“Revenue from lawful mining is essential to the government’s development agenda: free education, accessible healthcare, agricultural investment, and modern infrastructure. Every ounce of copper, every gram of gold extracted legally contributes to Zambia’s future. Every resource stolen by criminal operations is a school not built, a road not paved, a clinic not staffed,” he said.
