ONE of the reasons why the UPND government may be poised to lose the Copperbelt vote in 2026 is because it has struggled to manage people’s feelings and expectations in its management of the mining sector. The case of Konkola Copper Mines stands out as one asset which may end up making President Hakainde Hichilema very unpopular in the highly populated region. Unlike Mopani Copper Mines which did not undergo a hostile takeover by the government by the Edgar Lungu-led Patriotic Front, KCM has been quite a complicated issue to deal with. To reserve the situation and undo the many illegalities that happened in 2019 was never going to be an easy undertaking. But the UPND government has approached this...

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