Zambians Now Hold 97% of Mining Jobs as Gov’t Enforces Local Recruitment Laws
The Government has begun enforcing legal provisions that require employers, particularly in the mining sector, to prioritise Zambian citizens when filling job vacancies, Minister of Labour and Social Security Brenda Mwika Tambatamba has told Parliament.
Ms Tambatamba said the requirement for citizen prioritisation is firmly anchored in the Employment Code Act No. 3 of 2019, which obliges employers to recruit Zambians unless no suitably qualified citizen is available or no citizen applies for the position.
She was contributing to a debate in Parliament of Zambia following a motion raised by Kamfinsa Member of Parliament Christopher Kang’ombe, who questioned the enforcement of Section 10(2) of the Geological and Minerals Development Act No. 2 of 2025. The provision requires mining companies to give first preference to Zambian citizens during recruitment.
Ms Tambatamba explained that the law places a statutory obligation on employers, including mining firms, to prioritise qualified Zambians, allowing the recruitment of expatriates only where there is a clear skills gap.
“Recruitment of expatriates is permissible only where there is a demonstrable absence of suitable citizen applicants, and such recruitment must support structured skills transfer to local employees,” she said.
She added that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security has intensified enforcement through routine labour inspections, compliance monitoring and close scrutiny of recruitment practices within mining companies.
Enforcement efforts, she said, are further strengthened through collaboration with the Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, in line with the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010.
“Before an employment permit is issued to a non-citizen, employers must prove that efforts were made to recruit suitably qualified Zambians and that the required skills are not readily available locally,” the Minister said, adding that Government is already enforcing existing legal provisions.
Meanwhile, Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Kabuswe told the House that Zambians account for 97 per cent of both direct and contractual jobs in the mining sector, with expatriates making up just three per cent.
Mr Kabuswe said Government remains committed to implementing the law through the Local Content Bill and the Geological and Minerals Development Act No. 2 of 2025.
