By Cleopatra Nankonde
Nkana Member of Parliament Binwell Mpundu has condemned the government’s handling of the Mufumbwe crisis, where clashes between security forces and artisanal miners reportedly led to deaths and injuries.
Describing the government’s actions as “heartless” and “despicable,” Mr. Mpundu questioned whether the state was protecting Zambians or foreign interests by allowing security forces to open fire on youths struggling to earn a living.
“The government should have found a better way to handle the situation. They could have formed cooperatives and bought the gold from the miners instead of sending in police with guns,” Mpundu said.
He stressed that the young people of Zambia are now being treated as enemies instead of being empowered, calling the incident a wake-up call for all youth.
Mr. Mpundu argued for dialogue and cooperation, not violence, adding that the state’s approach was not only brutal but also counterproductive in addressing economic hardships facing the population.
