Government has dismissed as false and misleading social media reports alleging that 18 illegal miners were shot dead by police in Kikonge, Mufumbwe District. The clarification comes amid growing online speculation about a violent confrontation between law enforcement and illegal miners in the North-Western Province.

In a press statement issued by Principal Public Relations Officer Mr. Mwala Kalaluka, Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, MP, confirmed that only two people had died, with one additional civilian injured. He further revealed that 11 police officers sustained injuries, including two seriously wounded, during a violent fracas as law enforcement attempted to disperse a massive crowd of illegal miners.

“Contrary to social media reports, there was no mass shooting in Kikonge. The situation involved a chaotic attempt to disperse over 50,000 illegal miners who had converged in a 120-kilometre radius,” Mwiimbu stated.

The Minister explained that security forces were deployed to restore order in the area, which had seen an overwhelming influx of illegal miners seeking access to valuable mineral deposits. While efforts were made to peacefully disperse the crowd, tensions quickly escalated, resulting in the confirmed casualties.

“The presence of such large numbers posed a significant security and safety threat, both to the miners themselves and to the surrounding communities,” the statement noted.

Hon. Mwiimbu reiterated the government’s position of zero tolerance toward illegal mining, emphasizing the importance of upholding law and order and protecting national resources.

“We will not allow disorder and illegal exploitation of minerals to take root. Law enforcement will act decisively to secure Zambia’s mining territories,” he added.

In light of the misinformation circulating online, the government has called for calm and urged the public to refrain from spreading falsehoods that may cause undue panic or disrupt ongoing security operations.

“We ask all citizens to exercise restraint and verify information before sharing it,” Mr. Kalaluka stressed.

The government maintains that it is closely monitoring the situation in Kikonge and surrounding areas, with additional measures being implemented to prevent further unrest while exploring long-term solutions to regulate and formalize small-scale mining activities.

President Hakainde Hichilema says Government remains committed and resilient to navigate through economic challenges by devising a number of interventions, such as the revival of the mines, among others.

Speaking during the official opening of the 59th Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Ndola today, in a speech read on his behalf by Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane, President Hichilema said through resilience and innovation, the country’s economic outlook is looking bright.

President Hichilema reiterated the Government’s ambitious agenda to transform the country’s economic outlook through partnership with the private sector.

The Head of State explained that the Government decided to reverse the gloomy picture of the mining sector dying, but currently the country has witnessed the revival of mining activities in Kitwe, Mufulira, Chililabombwe, and Chingola.
President Hichilema further added that in its continued vision to remain resilient, the Government has gone ahead to also open older Mines at Luanshya, Lubambe, and Kalengwa.

He stated that the Government further awaits the opening of brand-new Mines in Mumbwa and Mingomba in Chililabombwe.
“This scale of production will create thousands of jobs where drivers, mechanics, and electricians, among others, will be employed. In addition, other jobs will be created in the haulage sector,” he said.
President Hichilema emphasised that Tazara and Zambia Railways will come back to life because there will be a lot of businesses transporting mineral products.

The Head of State said it is for this reason that the Lobito Railway is being constructed to champion haulage of the minerals.
President Hichilema highlighted other government actions to improve resilience in the energy sector, where since 1964 the country has depended on hydropower, and the Government is tackling the problem of electricity in the country.
He noted that to this end, the Government has set a target of creating capacity to generate an additional 1000 megawatts using non-hydropower sources to mitigate the power shortage.

He said this is a significant addition to available energy considering that from 1964 to present, Zambia created 3,800 megawatts of generated capacity but now in one year 25 percent current capacity will be installed in one year.
The President explained that had this been the pace in the past, Zambia would have more than enough electricity by now.
President Hichilema has since commended the private sector for their resilience and determination amid challenges the country faced in the past three years.

By Chanda Chisala

President: I’ve canceled national mourning

Supporters: That’s a wise decision, thank you.

President: Oh wait. I didn’t actually cancel the national mourning. It will continue.

Supporters: That’s a wise decision, thank you.

President: We will take the amendment bill to parliament, we have already consulted enough people.

Supporters: Wise decision. The president is telling the truth.

President: Oh Wait. We have deferred the bill from parliament because we have not consulted enough people.

Supporters: The president is telling the truth. He will now consult the people. We told you he’s a listening president.

_______________________________________________________________________

One of the worst things you can do for your beloved leader is to unquestioningly praise everything they do and say. This doesn’t help them because it gives them a wrong sense of how well their ideas are working or being received, and it leads to that deadly condition of an emperor walking around with no clothes as his people praise his wonderful invisible garments!

In fact, it also makes the president lose respect for his own servile and obsequious followers. We can all remember seeing this lesson play out in front of our eyes when President Chiluba decided to disappoint all his loyal top leaders in MMD by choosing the outsider Levy Mwanawasa as his preferred successor. His loyal faithfuls who had supported every single thing he did, including his misguided attempt at changing the constitution to give himself a third term, were shocked that he chose the man they considered the most disloyal.

Mr Levy Mwanawasa had resigned as Vice President of the country because he disagreed with Chiluba’s handling of corruption allegations among his ministers. Although Chiluba was angry with this embarrassing act of defiance, it made him respect Mwanawasa more than any of his other ministers because it showed that he was more loyal to his principles than to any man, which shows character. When it was time for choosing a successor, most of the people he had grown to respect had already left the party, so he famously sent someone to wake Mwanawasa up in the middle of the night.

Ironically, this decision by Chiluba was apparently the first one Michael Sata expressed strong disagreement with, and it finally revealed his own leadership potential. Chiluba was shocked by Sata’s defiance because he never imagined that he had it in him to oppose any presidential decision. Within a short time, as president Mwanawasa turned against him, Chiluba became a supporter of Sata and his opposition Patriotic Front. Had Sata not finally expressed how he truly felt about a decision made by Chiluba, he would have remained a loyal pretender in the MMD and would have never fulfilled his own leadership potential.

There is nothing wrong with supporting your favorite president with great enthusiasm, or defending him against those who always attack everything he does. But in those times that you honestly think he is wrong or being misled, you owe it to your integrity to say it, so that even your statements of support can carry some weight. The worst thing you can do is to just switch off your brain and defend him even for decisions you find disturbing or confusing; you are only helping him fall into a ditch of self-delusion.

More importantly: you destroy your own mind when you support everything someone does (or automatically oppose everything someone does), without thinking seriously and honestly for yourself. It’s a betrayal of your own soul, an act of treason against reason.

The author, Chanda Chisala, is the Founder of Zambia Online and Khama Institute. He is formerly a John S. Knight Fellow at Stanford University and Visiting Scholar to the Hoover Institution, a policy think tank at Stanford. He was also a Reagan Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Washington, DC. You can follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/chandachisala

Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Cornelius Mweetwa, held a press briefing addressing key matters of national interest, ranging from constitutional reforms and the economy to the ongoing dispute over the funeral of former President Edgar Lungu.

IMPEACHMENT CALLS DISMISSED AS “POLITICAL STUNTS”

Hon. Mweetwa strongly dismissed calls for the impeachment of President Hakainde Hichilema, labelling them a politically motivated distraction aimed at derailing public focus from the country’s developmental progress.

“President Hichilema has not breached any article of the Constitution or written law with respect to Bill 7,” the Minister said. “There is no legal basis, even from the courts, suggesting a violation warranting impeachment.”

He clarified that the Constitutional Court’s judgment regarding Bill 7 was advisory, not instructive, and no part of the ruling accused the government of violating constitutional provisions.

The Minister confirmed that Bill 7 has been deferred, not withdrawn, in order to facilitate broader consultations, particularly in response to concerns raised during the June 4, 2025 stakeholder meeting. The government plans to reintroduce the bill in September to address constitutional gaps ahead of the 2026 elections.

“Let us focus on real issues like the cost of living, which is slowly improving, the reduction in fuel prices, and the strengthening kwacha — all signs of solid economic policy,” Mweetwa urged political players.

COST OF LIVING & BUSINESS RESPONSIBILITY

The Minister acknowledged public frustration with static commodity prices despite the recent fuel price reduction announced by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB).

“Every time fuel goes up, prices of goods and services increase — but when fuel drops, nothing changes,” he said. “We urge the business community to reflect the government’s efforts to make life affordable for ordinary Zambians.”

He also refuted social media rumours that Zambia’s power generation was reducing Zimbabwe’s load-shedding, noting that Zambezi River Authority allocates water equally to both countries. Zambia’s gains, he clarified, are not at Zimbabwe’s expense.

President Hichilema has directed all ministries to minimize travel and use virtual platforms like Zoom as part of broader fiscal discipline amid current economic realities.

LUNGU FUNERAL IMPASSE: SEEKING A ZAMBIAN SOLUTION

Hon. Mweetwa addressed the ongoing legal impasse regarding the burial of former President Edgar Lungu, stating that the Attorney General’s lawsuit in South Africa was not malicious or intended to pressure the Lungu family.

“Government has always desired an amicable, dignified resolution — as one Zambian family,” he said. “It would be wonderful to look back and say we resolved this among ourselves, not through a foreign court directive.”

The Minister thanked the South African Government for encouraging dialogue and noted that the court in Pretoria is expected to deliver its ruling on 4th August 2025. He reaffirmed President Hichilema’s desire to maintain the national tradition of burying former presidents in one designated location.

“Let us exercise restraint, particularly in the political space, and avoid making inflammatory remarks,” he added.

SOLAR ENERGY EXPANSION AND EXPORTS EXPLAINED
Mweetwa revealed that Phase II of the 100MW Chisamba Solar Power Plant will commence by August 2025, with a 10-month completion timeline. Zambia currently faces a 590MW power deficit, which the Chisamba plant and load management efforts are helping to cushion.

Addressing public concerns over power exports, the Minister clarified that Zambia is exporting only 190MW, strictly to meet binding contracts under the Southern Africa Power Pool.

“Terminating these agreements would lead to costly penalties for ZESCO,” he noted, adding that Zambia is importing power at lower rates than it exports, making it an economically rational decision.

As the nation moves forward on multiple fronts — constitutional reform, energy expansion, and economic recovery — the government has urged all stakeholders to engage constructively and prioritize national unity and progress.

“The path ahead is clearer, greener, and more hopeful,” Mweetwa concluded.