Stakeholders in Mufumbwe District have finalised the allocation of 89 tenements at the Kikonge Gold Mine, marking a significant development for Zambia’s gold mining sector and local economic participation.

The decision follows extensive consultations and deliberations involving traditional leaders, cooperatives, unions and government officials from Mufumbwe and Kasempa districts.

The process was undertaken to establish a fair and sustainable framework for distributing the mining opportunities while promoting greater participation by local communities in the gold industry.

According to committee chairperson Luckson Mulumbi, 79 tenements will be allocated among three chiefdoms, local cooperatives, women and youth groups and other special interest groups from Mufumbwe and Kasempa.

The remaining 10 tenements will go to cooperatives from other parts of Zambia that took part in formalisation training programmes for artisanal miners conducted in North Western Province.

The allocation is expected to create opportunities for artisanal and small scale miners while supporting local enterprise development, employment and broader economic activity around the Kikonge Gold Mine.

North Western Province Permanent Secretary Col. Grandson Katambi has meanwhile called for peaceful coexistence among communities and stakeholders, reminding citizens that Zambia is a unitary state. His remarks underline the importance of cooperation as the province continues to develop its mineral resources.

With the final allocation of the 89 Kikonge Gold Mine tenements, attention will now turn to how effectively the beneficiaries can utilise these opportunities to contribute to Zambia’s mining industry, local livelihoods and economic growth.