Kagem rehabilitates 18.7kms of road in Lufwanyama’s Nkana and Lumpuma chiefdoms

Kagem Mining has invested around US$80,000 in the rehabilitation of the 18.7km road connecting Chief Nkana and Chief Lumpuma’s chiefdoms from Kandole to Kafwaya village in Lufwanyama district.

The new road has improved the transport of goods to market, made it easier for pupils and teachers to get to school, and improved mobility for people in the communities, cutting travel times by half.

With the road impassable, the mining company moved in to provide manpower and equipment, including excavators, graders, and tipper trucks, as well as laterite, during the three months of the works.

The road has was officially commissioned by Lufwanyama District Commissioner Miniver Mutesa, who commended Kagem for the roadworks, which have also reduced transport costs.

Kagem Acting General Manager Sanjeev Kumar reiterated the company’s commitment to ensuring that the community continued to benefit positively from its presence in the area through its various sustainability programmes focused on alleviating poverty and aligned with government policies and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Vision 2030.

“Our goal is to operate in a way that contributes positively to both the local and national economy where we operate. We want to create a legacy of developing and empowering our communities beyond the mine by continuing to build lasting, sustainable livelihoods,” said Kumar.

Aside from the routine road grading and maintenance, Kagem has spent more than US$2 million on community projects, including provision of a ZESCO powerline, new buildings at Chapula Basic School, teachers’ accommodation at Kapila Community School, improvements to Chief Nkana and Chief Lumpuma’s palaces, the Nkana Health Centre, and the ‘Blessings’ and ‘Green Farm’ projects.