By Isaac Zulu
Chief Chitina of the Lala speaking people in Mkushi has charged that politically inclined people are engaging in illegal mining activities yet his own and other traditional leaders mining licences have not been granted for a long time.
In an interview, Chief Chitina explained that the Edgar Lungu led Patriot Front administration had given some traditional leaders some leeway to engage in artisanal mining activities, provided they acquired mining licences to conduct such activities in a legal manner.
He said that after a lot of consultations among the traditional leadership and the current regime, the UPND administration also urged the chieftaineses whose chiefdoms have some mineral resources to apply for mining licences so that they can benefit from their mineral wealth; but wondered why the said applications have not been approved to date.
“We raised concerns about our local people and the traditional leadership not benefiting from our mineral wealth during the Patriot Front government and our concern was taken on board. Subsequently we were advised to apply for some mining licences, which we did. When the UPND formed government, we raised the same concerns, and we were told to apply for some mining licences so that we can start benefiting from the minerals that are found in our respective chiefdoms. We accordingly did that. And in my case and my subjects, we applied for the mining licence in January 2020, but up to now that mining licence has not been approved,” Chief Chitina explained. “As traditional leaders, we are concerned about these revelations that some people belonging to the UPND are claiming that they have acquired mining licences and are now agitating for the running of Sacko Manganese Mine. We have been left wondering.”
Chief Chitina insisted that despite the UPND administration making strides in bringing sanity in manganese mining, the traditional leadership in the said Provinces have received any positive responses from the administration.
“We have just been hearing about people being fired from the Ministry of Mines being fired. So far, one director has been fired from the time we made those applications. Two permanent secretaries have so far been fired, and yet we don’t have any clear explanation on the delayed approval of our mining licences. And yet some politically inclined individuals are busy engaging in illegal mining of manganese in our chiefdoms.”
