Zambia Army orders illegal miners out of Rufunsa gold site, halts operations

Zambia’s army has ordered all illegal gold miners, including undocumented foreigners and holders of fake licences, to leave a mining area in Rufunsa district as authorities move to restore order and regulate operations. Lieutenant General Geoffrey Choongo Zyeele, Commander of the Zambia Army, said all mining activities in Chief Shikabeta’s area would remain suspended until formal regulation is established with the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. According to a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday by Lusaka Province Principal Public Relations Officer Logic Lukwanda, speaking to miners during an operation in the area on Monday, Zyeele said the intervention was aimed at addressing illegal mining and associated criminal activity.

“It is an opportunity for you to make things right. If you know you are illegal immigrants mining here, leave; if you know you are mining here illegally, leave; if you know you are mining here without or with a fake licence, leave,” Zyeele said. He said the military operation, code-named “Kuchingilisha”, was launched to halt illegal mining activities and pave the way for regulated and safe gold extraction.

Zyeele said illegal mining had contributed to criminal activities in the area, including drug-related offences, posing broader security risks. He said the objective was to sanitise the sector and ensure mining contributes to government revenue through taxation, while protecting the environment and improving safety standards. “We want to clean everything and have orderliness in mining here, and deal with all the downsides of illegal mining,” he said.

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The Zambia Army said troops were deployed to the area on March 29, 2026, following reports of widespread illegal mining activities. Authorities said 20 artisanal mining licences had been issued in the area by the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, but only seven were active. Zyeele said mining would only resume once proper procedures were enforced and coordination with relevant government agencies was completed.

Lusaka Province Minister Sheal Mulyata, who is also Member of Parliament for Rufunsa, praised the military intervention, saying it was necessary to restore order and protect public resources. She said illegal mining had deprived the state of revenue needed for national development. “Government wants to see mining conducted within the law, with full consideration for the safety of miners, protection of the environment, and proper remittance of revenue for national development,” Mulyata said.

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