Former lawmaker, Banda, decries use of force in Mufumbwe, calls for youth-centered mining reforms

Former Kasenengwa Constituency lawmaker, Sensio Banda, says the recent incidents where police reportedly tortured artisanal miners, and some youths allegedly lost their lives in Mufumbwe, highlight deep flaws in Zambia’s current response to illegal mining.

Police in Mufumbwe District of North Western Province reportedly confiscated Gold, and tortured artisanal miners, leading to the death of unaccounted number of persons.

Banda told Zambia Monitor that while the Cabinet’s approval to deploy military personnel may have been intended to curb environmental degradation and protect mineral wealth, the human cost of this decision cannot be ignored.

He said the government acknowledges that young people make up 34 percent to 37 percent of Zambia’s population.

“This large youth population faces staggering challenges: estimated 60% plus of Zambians live below the poverty line, with poverty reaching nearly 79% in rural areas,” Banda stated.

He claimed that youth-specific data was equally grim, 48.7 percent of Zambian youths live in poverty, and unemployment ranges from 9.9 percent to over 26 percent, depending on the age group and survey definitions.

Banda highlighted that Zambia’s total dependency ratio stood at 79 percent, underscoring the immense economic pressure on working-age citizens.

“These figures are more than statistics, they reflect the lived experiences of thousands of youths who are driven by desperation into informal and dangerous mining operations,” he said.

Banda noted that for many, unregulated mining was not a choice but a last resort for survival and criminalizing these efforts without offering sustainable alternatives not only worsened their plight but also failed to address the root causes of the issue.

He argued that the decision to send military forces into communities like Mufumbwe, without first addressing the socio-economic drivers of illegal mining, appeared reactionary rather than informed.

“Was due consideration given to the economic hardship and daily struggles these youths endure,” Banda wondered.

He questioned whether policymakers weigh the consequences of such enforcement against the backdrop of poverty and unemployment?

He argued that enforcement alone would not solve the problem but that instead, a comprehensive, youth-centered strategy was needed.

Zambia cannot afford to treat poverty like a crime,” Banda said.

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