Last August, Hichilema and his UPND won the majority vote on the Copperbelt, their very first-ever, a feat which propelled them to power and condemned to defeat the former ruling Patriotic Front in what was previously a stronghold province.
The Copperbelt hosts Zambia’s two biggest mines – Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and Mopani Copper Mines (MCM), the two biggest formal employers in Zambia after the government. They are also the two oldest mining units with an average age of 85 years.
After the privatisation of the mines in the late 1990s, fresh capital and a rally in prices in the 2000s saw Zambia’s production pick up and the country became Africa’s top copper miner.
However, Zambia’s copper production stagnated due to frequent changes to the mining fiscal regime as the government sought to earn more from the country’s lifeblood; hostile relationships with miners; low copper prices; and
There's more to this story
Get unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Africa. Unlocked.
cancel anytime
Already a a subscriber Sign In
