Abar International Investments Limited.

17/04/2026

01/04/2026

When you are playing Argentina—the world champions, a team that treats every match like a final—you are supposed to prepare a good team. You are supposed to select the best legs, the sharpest minds, the players who understand that wearing the national jersey is not a favor but a responsibility. Instead, we saw a collection of bodies who looked lost on the same pitch where World Cup winners were performing.
Players who are not good player. how much of these players did you bring? How many passengers did you load onto that plane?
You cannot bring such kind of players when you are bringing a… what class of team are we trying to present? Argentina brought class. They brought world champions. They brought players who fight for their national shirt like it is the last battle. We brought experiments. We brought names that don’t even command respect in our local league, let alone on a global stage.
This is not about being patriotic to every Zambian player. It is about honesty. There are good players everywhere in this country—players who are hungry, players who are fit, players who would run through a wall for the badge. But you ignored them. Instead, you filled the squad with players who lack the basic technical ability to control a ball under pressure, who cannot read the tempo of a high-level match.
What message does that send? That facing Argentina is a joke? That we can use the world champions as a testing ground for players who are not even knocking on the door of the national team on merit?
This is the wrong way to go, ba FAZ. You inherited a team that had structure. Now you are dismantling it with selections that lack quality, with call-ups that raise eyebrows across the continent. We expected better from you. We expected a team that reflects the pride of Zambia, not a collection of players who make us look like amateurs on a big stage.
Argentina is not Malawi. You cannot afford to experiment. You cannot afford to bring players who are not good to play football—not when the whole world is watching.
Learn that lesson before you destroy what little respect this team has left.

10/02/2026

Psalm 105:19 NIV
[19] till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true.

10/02/2026

*Statement on Recent News Regarding Mining License Cancellations by the Federation of Small-Scale Mining Associations of Zambia (FSSMAZ)*

The Federation of Small-Scale Mining Associations of Zambia (FSSMAZ) wishes to address ongoing concerns about the government’s recent administrative actions regarding mining licenses. Let us be unequivocally clear: the rumor that the Government has a target to seize mines from Zambians is false and misleading.

Prior to this administrative exercise, FSSMAZ engaged in constructive dialogue with the Government on this matter. The Government has consistently assured us that it has no intention of taking mines from the hardworking Zambian people in this sector. Its message has been one of encouraging compliance with established regulations, a standard expectation of any responsible administration. The objective is not to target individual miners, but to ensure procedures are followed for the long-term stability, transparency, and growth of the sector.

The newly appointed Director of Small-Scale Mining has reinforced this position, urging miners to continue their diligent work while adhering to the necessary regulations. He has repeatedly affirmed that the government's aim is to build a strong, sustainable small-scale mining sector, not to dispossess Zambians. This commitment is vital as our sector is poised to become a significant contributor to the national economy.

His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema is the foremost champion of small-scale mining development. He has consistently supported this sector, and we have full confidence that his administration's actions will reflect this commitment.

As a Federation, we understand that such regulatory directives are normal for ensuring order and good governance.

Building a strong economy through small-scale mining requires a structured approach. Our immediate step is to encourage all our members to proactively engage with the compliance process. The Government is not an adversary; it is a partner seeking to bring necessary order to the sector.

To date, since this compliance process began, no member has lost a license due to these reviews. The requirement is for all to align with the stipulated regulations.

We are optimistic that with the creation of the Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC), all outstanding issues will be resolved constructively. We note the positive start made by the MRC Director General and his team, and their willingness to collaborate with FSSMAZ, which is a commendable step in the right direction.

The development of the mining industry is a national imperative. It is not the task of a few but requires the understanding and participation of every committed Zambian citizen. Together, in partnership with the Government, we can build a stronger, more compliant, and prosperous mining sector for the benefit of all Zambians.

Joseph Mwansa
*President*
*Federation of Small-Scale Mining Associations of Zambia (FSSMAZ)*

24/01/2026

FEDERATION OF SMALL-SCALE MINING ASSOCIATIONS OF ZAMBIA

OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE SECURITY SITUATION IN MUFUMBWE AND KASEMPA

For Immediate Release

The Federation of Small-Scale Mining Associations of Zambia (FSSMAZ) is issuing this statement to address growing concerns regarding the security situation in the mining areas of Mufumbwe and Kasempa.

Our primary and unwavering concern is the safety of our members, the security of their legitimate mining operations, and the protection of Zambia’s mineral resources.

Recent developments have created an untenable environment. There has been a significant and unregulated influx of individuals from various countries into these mining areas. Many operate without proper documentation, passports, or legal business licenses. This lack of oversight has compromised security, disrupted lawful mining activities, and created a climate of uncertainty that threatens the well-being of local communities and miners.

It is deeply regrettable that our members and citizens feel compelled to leave Mufumbwe. No one wishes to abandon their livelihood. However, the prevailing situation has made it necessary for the sake of personal safety.

After careful consideration of these exceptional circumstances, the Federation recognizes the need for decisive action to restore order, protect national assets, and ensure the rule of law.

Therefore, we acknowledge and support the deployment of specialized military units to the region. We believe that the unique discipline, structured approach, and operational capacity of such forces are required to effectively control and stabilize the current complex security challenge. This is a measured response to an extraordinary circumstance, aimed at safeguarding our people, our industry, and our national sovereignty.

Our stance is clear: this is about protection. Protection of our people, protection of our communities, protection of our resources, and ultimately, the protection of our nation’s peace and economic interests.

We urge all our members and stakeholders to cooperate fully with the authorities during this stabilization period. Our focus must remain on returning to a secure environment where productive, legal, and safe mining activities can resume without fear.

The Federation reaffirms its commitment to working with all branches of the Zambian Government to ensure the sustainable and secure development of the small-scale mining sector for the benefit of all Zambians. Leaving Mufumbwe is not a sign of defeat, it is the sign of strength. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Joseph Mwansa,

President,
Federation of small scale mining Associations of Zambia.

23/01/2026

FEDERATION of SMALL-SCALE MINING ASSOCIATIONS of ZAMBIA - OFFICIAL STATEMENT on the SITUATION in MUFUMBWE and KASEMPA*

The Federation of Small-Scale Mining Associations of Zambia (FSSMAZ) issues this statement from a position of profound and collective experience. Our membership and leadership embody over four decades of direct engagement with Zambia’s mineral sector. It is through this long-term lens that we analyze the ongoing crisis in Mufumbwe and Kasempa and urge a path of sustainable reform.

First, we must collectively correct a fundamental misconception. The individuals routinely labeled as "illegal miners" are, in fact, skilled Zambian discoverers. Our sector’s experience unequivocally shows that their indigenous knowledge and practiced observation have been responsible for identifying countless mineral deposits that formal, capital-intensive exploration has missed. They are not criminals; they are an unwitting, unintegrated national asset.

However, this experience also forces us to acknowledge the severe pathology of the current unregulated model. The system does not benefit Zambia. Our assessment indicates that approximately 95% of on-site buyers of our minerals are foreign nationals who impose exploitative terms, taking exorbitant equipment fees and purchasing minerals at a fraction of their true value. Consequently, an estimated 95% of these high-value minerals are smuggled out of the country.
This represents a catastrophic drain on national revenue, job formalization, and economic development. What exists is not a sector, but a predatory extraction chain.

We note the government's interventions to impose order. The recent deployment of police, which regrettably led to loss of life, and the potential deployment of military forces, are viewed with deep apprehension by our communities. Years of industry history teaches one indelible lesson: *no mineral is worth the life of a Zambian citizen*. Military solutions, employed since the earliest days of our republic, have consistently failed because they address symptoms, not causes. *They disperse but never resolve.*

Therefore, the Federation asserts that a secure and prosperous future for our mining sector cannot be achieved through force, but only through intelligent and compassionate formalization. The current licensing regime remains prohibitively expensive and complex for the average Zambian. While we acknowledge and appreciate the recently announced adjustments by ZEMA, the total cost including mandatory consultants, pe***ng certificates, and council charges can exceed 50,000 Kwacha. This is not a barrier; it is an exclusion wall built against the rural poor whom artisanal mining could lift from poverty.

Our decades of collective experience dictate that to end illegality and harness this sector for national development, we must:

- Radically Simplify Access: Create an affordable, streamlined "artisanal miner's permit" administered with community-level support.
- Establish Domestic Value Capture: Launch transparent, government-facilitated mineral buying centers to offer fair market prices and ensure mineral wealth remains within Zambia.
- Transition from Suppression to Support: Provide geotechnical data, safety training, and equipment access to organized, recognised miner association members for easy M&E
- Modernize the Legal Framework: Reform outdated policies to recognize and integrate artisanal and small-scale mining as a legitimate, productive economic pillar.

As history is our guide, force has never worked. The only viable strategy is one developed with our people, not against them. We must transform this systemic crisis into a national opportunity by building a structure that includes, empowers, and benefits Zambians first.

The Federation, drawing on its deep reservoir of sector-specific experience, stands ready to partner with the Government of the Republic of Zambia to come up with a structured, prosperous, and wholly Zambian small-scale mining industry.

Joseph Mwansa
President
*Federation of Small-Scale Mining Associations of Zambia*