One Leader holds 800 mining licences, release national mineral survey report – Mundubile

MUFUMBWE, August 1, 2026 – NRP-UP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile has alleged that a single individual is holding about 800 mining licences, describing the situation as evidence of greed and mismanagement of Zambia’s mineral resources.

Addressing a campaign rally in Mufumbwe on Saturday, Mundubile referred to residents of the gold-rich district as “abena gold” and promised that his administration would ensure ordinary Zambians benefit from the country’s vast mineral wealth.

“There is one leader in this country who has 800 mining licences for himself, his family and his friends. How can one person be so selfish and greedy?” Mundubile told a cheering crowd.

The Tonse Pamodzi Alliance-backed presidential candidate further alleged that a nationwide mineral survey, conducted using public resources, had not been made public despite containing critical information on mineral deposits across the country.

According to Mundubile, the survey identified significant mineral resources beyond the well-known mining areas of Mufumbwe and Mwinilunga, but the report had allegedly been withheld from the public.

“A national mineral survey was conducted using taxpayers’ money, but the report has not even been made available to the Ministry of Mines. It is being kept by an individual,” he alleged.

He said the report belonged to the Zambian people and not to any individual or family.

“I challenge President Hakainde Hichilema to release that report because it does not belong to him or his family. It belongs to the people of Zambia and should be made public in accordance with the law,” Mundubile said.

He argued that North-Western Province remained one of the country’s richest regions in terms of mineral resources but had failed to realise its full economic potential.

“North-Western Province is richly blessed with minerals, but unfortunately it has had an irresponsible government that has failed to ensure local people benefit,” he said.

Mundubile pledged that, if elected on August 13, his administration would review the allocation of mining licences to promote fairness and broader participation by Zambians.

He alleged that the licences held by the unnamed individual would be revoked.

“Those 800 licences will be cancelled, and opportunities will be opened up for ordinary Zambians so that our people can also participate in the mining sector,” he said.

Beyond mining, Mundubile announced a number of development commitments for Mufumbwe District.

He promised that an NRP-UP government would construct a boarding secondary school to improve access to education and build additional accommodation for teachers to address staffing challenges in rural schools.

The opposition leader also pledged to strengthen the school feeding programme, saying it should operate consistently across the country.

He claimed that under the current system, some schools only provided meals to learners once a week.

“We shall fully implement the school feeding programme so that children receive meals consistently and are able to learn in a conducive environment,” Mundubile said.

Mining reforms have become a central theme of Mundubile’s campaign in North-Western Province, where he has repeatedly promised to increase local participation in the mining sector while ensuring communities directly benefit from the natural resources found in their areas.