According to a report by Prime TV, some residents of Nangoma Constituency in Mumbwa District have staged a protest against more than 40 gold mining companies operating in Lwiili, accusing them of plundering the area’s natural wealth while leaving the community in poverty.
Chanting slogans, the angry residents denounced the mining firms for what they described as exploitation without delivering any tangible benefits to the local people.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Senior Headman Ntambo said that despite years of resource extraction, the mining companies have failed to improve the lives of the residents.
A community representative, Nchimunya Hajaya, further accused one of the mining companies of seizing Lwiili open pits that were initially managed by local artisanal miners through cooperatives.
Meanwhile, area Member of Parliament Collins Nzovu urged local artisanal miners to exercise patience, explaining that the government is still negotiating with the investor who owns the open pit to allow locals to participate in its operations.