Mines ‘kill’ hunting, take football to Kalumbila 

ABOUT 113 kilometres west of the North-Western Province capital of Solwezi, is Kalumbila district.

On August 28, 2015, former president Edgar Lungu went to commission Kalumbila mine and on that day, declared Kalumbila a district, after de-linking it from Solwezi district.

While other newly created districts are nothing but village patches of land, Kalumbila, to some extent, is not.

The place has been catalysed by the giant First Quantum Minerals (FQM), a global copper company.

FQM owns and runs a mining firm, FQM Trident Limited at Kalumbila.

FQM Trident does not just dig copper in this Kaonde land; the mine has chosen to give back to the community, in form of corporate social responsibility.

It is for that reason that Kalumbila district does not look a typical village, like the situation in the other newly created districts.

No doubt, FQM Trident Limited, just like its neighbouring mining giant, Barrick Gold Corporation, has spent substantially to at least shape the early stages of Kalumbila town, in terms of infrastructure.

Among the noticeable corporate social responsibility projects that FQM Trident Limited can be credited for in Kalumbila is the establishment of Trident Football Club.

Trident FC campaigns in the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) National Division One league and is currently on top of the table, with 59 points, as at of week 30.

On Saturday, Trident FC beat Ndola’s Indeni 2 – 1 at their fortress, Sentinel grounds, in Kalumbila.

Four matches remain before the National Division One league, just like the Super League, closes.

As things stand, Trident FC, coached by Israel Mwanza, is one leg into the FAZ/MTN Super League.

Actually, Trident FC, nicknamed The Conquerors, is a point away from winning promotion to the Super League.

FQM Trident Limited general manager Junior Keyser, who is Trident FC patron, is ever proud of the team.

Once Trident FC wins promotion to the Super League, Kalumbila district will have two Super League teams, provided Lumwana Radiants FC survive relegation this season.

As a matter of fact, Barrick Gold Corporation, the owners of Lumwana mining company Limited in Kalumbila, is another mining firm that has ‘planted’ corporate social responsibility projects in the district.

Barrick Gold sponsors Super League side Lumwana Radiants FC, the first team ever from North-Western Province to play in the coveted Super League.

Trident FC is headed into the Super League and their hope is to find Lumwana Radiants FC, so that the mining town of Kalumbila can feed locals with two derbies next season.

That is how FQM Trident Limited and Barrick Gold Corporation have taken professional football to a place that would have continued to produce hunters, unlike football stars.

Kalumbila is traditionally a hunting place, mainly by the Kaonde speaking people.

Kalemba April 24, 2023