Tonse senior official, Mundubile, demands answers over alleged killing of miners in Mufumbwe gold rush

Tonse Alliance Parliamentary Affairs Chairman, Brian Mundubile, has joined growing calls for government to speak up on an unaccounted number of deaths in the ongoing Mufumbwe gold rush, reportedly in the hands of security forces deployed to curb illegal mining activities.

Speaking during a press briefing on Sunday, Mundubile expressed outrage at government’s silence on the reported deaths, describing it as “deafening” and deeply troubling.

“We issue this statement with a heavy heart and deep outrage at the silence of the Government of the Republic of Zambia in the wake of the tragic killing of Zambian citizens in Mufumbwe, allegedly at the hands of law enforcement officers,” he said.

Mundubile criticized the government for what he termed selective urgency, often responding swiftly to social media commentary—especially any criticism of President Hakainde Hichilema—while remaining mute on issues of life and death.

“Where was the same urgency when lives were lost? Where was the outrage when citizens were gunned down?” he questioned.

Mundubile called on families in Mufumbwe who have lost loved ones to come forward and name the deceased.

“These were not statistics. They were human beings—sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers—who had dreams and families. We must restore their dignity by giving their names a voice,” Mundubile said.

Describing the incident as “an abomination,” he condemned the killings as extrajudicial and unconstitutional.

He stressed that the victims were not armed insurgents or convicted criminals, but individuals trying to escape poverty through small-scale mining.

“Their only ‘crime’ was attempting to lift themselves out of poverty by mining resources that rightfully belong to all Zambians. And yet, in a cruel twist of irony, while foreign investors are allowed to exploit these resources with generous tax incentives, our people pay for access with their blood. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Mundubile questioned whether constitutional rights, including the right to life, had effectively been suspended, saying the killings were done without charge or trial.

He also reminded President Hichilema that while the abolition of the death penalty was celebrated as a human rights milestone, extrajudicial killings by security wings amounted to an even graver injustice.

“Let it be known: these victims had names, they had families, and they had a right to life. That right has been stolen,” he declared.

“We demand accountability. We demand an immediate investigation. And most importantly, we demand that this government stop killing innocent people. If anyone is suspected of wrongdoing, let them be arrested, tried, and judged in a court of law—not in the bush or an open field by bullets,” he said.

Mundubile emphasized that the matter transcended politics and was about justice, human dignity, and the sanctity of life.

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