Chief Chibwika of the Lunda speaking people in Mwinilunga District of North-Western Province has called for genuineness among stakeholders in handling issues around the investment at Kasenseli Gold mine.
The Traditional Leader expressed disappointment that some senior government officials allegedly accused his subjects over some illegalities at Kasenseli gold mine without obtaining facts.
Chief Chibwika has cited the unsubstantiated blames being apportioned on him together with his subjects over the criminal activities happening at the mine as unfortunate.
“I am very sad and disappointed that such allegations could be made public and threats were being issued against the Chiefdom, it should not be like that,” Chief Chibwika said.
He said this during a courtesy call paid on him at his palace by Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Masiye Banda, Provincial Permanent Secretary Willies Mangimela and Commissioner of Police Elias Chushi over the weekend.
He said contrary to the accusations, the recent invasion of the mine involved people from elsewhere.
He said out of the 33 illegal miners who were arrested in the recent invasion of the mine only two are his subjects.
“When we verified with my village Headmen there were only two people that are from Chibwika, so out of 33, 31 are not from Chibwika,” he said.
Chief Chibwika said the people perpetuating illegality at the mine are not from Kasenseli but from an illegal camp in the nearby bush called Kabanda.
And Home Affairs Minister Permanent Secretary Masiye Banda assured Chief Chibwika that the information he provided regarding the security situation at Kasenseli will be used to provide a lasting solution to the problem.
He promised to engage his counterpart from the Ministry of Mines and other stakeholders, to formulate a well-structured sensitization programs which will give residents accurate and valuable information at every stage of the mining activities.
There must be genuine openness with regards national assets such as the Kasenseli Gold mine
It’s only illegal if they are not benefiting.
Someome with a licence can overkill wildlife as long as someone up there is benefiting. A poor poacher it’s illegal because no one up there is benefiting. The case of mukula trade.
Our govt should enhance security in this area. Zambia doesn’t need foreign elements to start coming in and setting up illegal camps in the bush. Next some unsavory characters might start bringing arms. That would be horrible and hard to stamp out
UYOU NORTHWESTERNERS HAVE NOW BECOME USELESS. LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO PAID THE SO CALLED COURTESY CALL AT THE PALACE, WHICH ONE IS PROUDLY IS A SON FROM YOUR AREA?
HOW DO YOU ALLOW SUCH NONSENSE TO HAPPEN IN YOUR CHIEFDOM?
Government and the traditional leadership in the area should work hand in hand to sort out the gaps and misunderstandings that are their with regards the gold mine
The natural resources such are the gold at the Kasenseli Gold mine should be protected….and it should intern benefit the local people economically
When this money for gold goes to central government people on the ground don’t even see any benefit
The locals around kasenseli shud benefit….an area shud be reserved for locals to mine..
Who’s responsible for restoring the land after gold miners hv disfigured it? Mwinilunga is source of the Zambezi. Can we afford environmental damage of the kind I hv seen in the picture illustrating this story?