The unresolved Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) […]

The unresolved Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) gold scandal continues to cast a shadow over Zambia’s gold mining sector, with economic expert questioning the lack of prosecutions and ‘transparency’ in the case.

Despite the magnitude of the case, which involved a significant quantity of gold being seized at the country’s main airport – KKIA, the matter appears to have faded from public discourse, raising concerns about accountability and who may ultimately benefit from the silence.

The economic expert has also raised concerns over the government’s lack of a clear gold production target, contrasting it with the well-publicized objective of producing 3 million metric tons of copper by 2031. Zambia, endowed with vast mineral resources, has set ambitious targets for copper but has yet to articulate similar goals for gold, despite the sector’s potential and the prevalence of illegal mining activities. Notably, illegal gold mining has been reported in provinces such as Northwestern, Central, Mumbwa, Rufunsa, and Eastern.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times (ZBT), a source, whose name has been withheld due to the sensitivity of the matter, emphasized the impact of having no formal direction or production target for gold. The expert explained that this policy vacuum makes it difficult to formalize illegal gold miners, fueling a shadow economy in which illegal actors thrive.

“While we have clear targets for copper, there is no guidance for gold. This lack of direction not only enables illegal activity but also likely benefits certain powerful interests,” the source said. Referencing the unresolved Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) gold scandal, the expert questioned the lack of prosecutions and transparency, suggesting that powerful interests profit from the status quo.

“We are losing an estimated billions of US Dollars to illicit financial flows, much of it linked to unregulated gold,” the expert noted. Citing Ghana’s successful gold sector reforms, where strict regulations and oversight have boosted state revenues, the expert called for Zambia to adopt similar policies. “If we legalize and standardize the gold sector, we can increase revenue and curb illegalities,” they said.

The expert further emphasized that the lack of a gold production target reflects a broader policy gap affecting other minerals such as Emeralds, gemstones and nickel among others. “We know our copper targets, but there are none for gold or other minerals, even though these minerals are being produced,” the expert observed. Ultimately, the expert attributed the lack of progress in the gold sector to insufficient political will. “Policies exist, but without commitment at the highest level, nothing changes.”

Article by Tyndale Muchiya