Copperbelt Youths Decry Vedanta’s $400M Investment Claim as “Cruel Mockery”
A group of young activists from the Copperbelt has condemned Vedanta Resources’ recent claim of having invested over $400 million into Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), calling it “a cruel mockery of the Zambian people.”
In a strongly worded statement released under their newly rebranded movement Copperbelt Youths for Inclusive Development, the former Vedanta Must Return Community Campaign Movement expressed deep concern over the lack of visible progress at KCM, nearly a year after Vedanta’s return to the mine in August 2024.
“We were told that $1 billion would be invested to revitalise KCM, including restarting the Konkola Deep Mine Project and creating jobs,” said movement coordinator Chishala Mwamba. “But what we’re seeing on the ground tells a different story — a painful decay of our God-given asset.”
The youths allege that basic operations at the mine have stalled, citing reports of broken pumps not being replaced and even shortages of printing toner in Nampundwe. They further claimed that local youths are being denied employment and business opportunities, despite Vedanta’s promises.
Vedanta’s announcement, made on July 16, 2025, was positioned as a milestone in the mining company’s turnaround strategy. However, the youths argue that these statements are disconnected from reality and amount to “mere press release development.”
Now reorganised under a broader umbrella, the movement includes organisations such as the Chililabombwe Youth Graduates Club, Konkola Youths for Positive Change, Young People for Sustainable Governance, and members of the clergy. Their newly stated mission is to ensure that mining investments yield real and inclusive benefits for local communities.
As a first step, they plan to launch a provincial-wide Youth Campaign Against Vedanta Resources, vowing to hold the company accountable for every pledge it made.
“We rose up to demand Vedanta’s return when we believed it would help our people,” said Mwamba. “We will rise again to demand their exit if they continue to fail us.”
There was no immediate response from Vedanta Resources at the time of publication.
