MINES Minister Paul Kabuswe has expressed shock that developmental stories on social media attract as few as 20 likes and 13 comments, compared to scandals and negativity which draw far greater attention.
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Speaking at a cocktail in Lusaka on Tuesday, Kabuswe urged the nation to shift its focus from scandalous news to progressive stories if the country is to move forward.
“I get shocked…when you go to social media, when you are talking development, you are going to find 20 likes, 13 comments.”
“But when you hear negativity, scandals, things skyrocket. I said, what do we appreciate as a society? We need to look at positives because that was what will build us. And we become a society that celebrates the firing of someone instead of celebrating when they are hired,” he said.
He also appealed to the media to be agents of positivity rather than negativity.
The minister used the opportunity to provide a detailed update on Zambia’s mining sector, which he said was breathing again after years of operational challenges and legal disputes.
Kabuswe revealed that Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) had sharply increased copper output since resuming operations under Vedanta Resources, following a period of closure during legal proceedings.
“When the President said ‘no mining in court, let’s mine on the mine site,’ KCM was closed. It had moved from care and maintenance to full closure. We just didn’t announce it at the time to avoid causing public panic,” said Kabuswe.
He noted that KCM’s production has grown from zero at the time of reopening to 38,000–40,000 tonnes and is now projected to reach 150,000 tonnes this year.
The minister stressed that increased production levels would have far-reaching economic benefits.
He stated that Zambia’s long-term goal of producing three million tonnes of copper annually would translate into billions of kwacha in tax revenue, alongside the creation of thousands of jobs.
“The benefit of having three million tonnes of copper is the direct jobs we will give to our people and the indirect jobs for suppliers and contractors,” he said.
Currently, KCM and Mopani Copper Mines combined, have expanded their workforce to 13,000 employees, in addition to supporting a wide network of local suppliers.
“The country is going places,” he said. “The mining sector is going up, and we should focus more on what is building us than what is breaking us,” said Kabuswe.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, August 14, 2025
