Mufumbwe gold tenements allocations favoured Southern Province based corporatives

A group of 45 members from a […]

A group of 45 members from a cooperative at Kikonge gold mine in Mufumbwe District, North Western Province, have expressed serious concerns regarding the allocation of mining tenements by the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. According to the cooperative chairman, who spoke to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, whose identity has been withheld, alleged that many of the tenements allocated to local miners from Mufumbwe were not in promising gold-bearing areas, while cooperatives from distant regions such as Choma were awarded more favorable locations.

Meanwhile, the local cooperative also raised concerns about the Ministry of Mines’ decision to conduct the training program in Choma District, a move that, according to the cooperative chairman who spoke to the Zambian Business Times on condition of anonymity, left many in Mufumbwe both surprised and shocked.

 Independent verification by the Zambian Business Times, confirmed that the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development did, indeed, April 2026, organize a 20-day Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) capacity-building training in Choma District, during which over 230 cooperatives were trained.

This decision has prompted questions from Mufumbwe residents, who argue that since the gold deposits are located in their district, it would have been more appropriate and beneficial for training sessions to be held locally.

“Many Mufumbwe cooperatives, particularly those in phase three of the program, report that they were unable to attend the training sessions conducted in Choma.” “The gold is from Mufumbwe, so the first beneficiaries should be the people from this area,” stated one cooperative member. “Unfortunately, many from Mufumbwe have yet to receive tenements, while groups from Choma, located far away, were among the first to benefit.”

 “Many Mufumbwe cooperatives were unaware of the initial application deadlines and missed opportunities to participate in training conducted. It was only in the third phase that more Mufumbwe groups became involved, but by then, most of the tenements had already been allocated.”

The timing of the program also posed significant challenges. As several cooperative members explained, phase two of the training was held on 3 November 2025, which coincided with the primary planting season in Mufumbwe. As a result, many locals had to leave their agricultural work to attend the training, motivated by the hope that mining would offer improved economic prospects over traditional farming.

However, the delays and uncertainty in the implementation of the mining program have left participants concerned about both their livelihoods and the future of their lives as many of them did not manage to plant. “Following numerous appeals to the government, the Ministry of Mines recently allegedly announced through direct messages, the cancellation of all previously allocated tenements, indicating that the allocation process would restart.

This decision came after it was revealed that some cooperatives had been given tenements in unproductive, plain areas, while outsiders benefited from more lucrative sites.” The source also added that recently, the Ministry requested certificate and license numbers from cooperatives via text message, raising hopes that the process would finally move forward.

However, local miners remain skeptical about the outcome, with some questioning whether the exercise is genuine or merely a political gesture. “We left our farming activities to attend training in November 2025, believing that mining would provide better opportunities for our families. Now, with continued delays and uncertainty, our livelihoods are at risk,” said another cooperative member.

 The cooperatives have complied with all requests for documentation from the government and ZCCM-IH but are urging authorities to expedite the allocation process and ensure fairness so that the people of Mufumbwe, the rightful custodians of the gold, are not left behind.

 Article by ZBT Analyst.