Zambia’s Mining Future May Lie in Its Diaspora

By Bradley Riviera 

Zambia’s mineral wealth is undeniable, yet its economic returns remain frustratingly elusive. At the recent EMV Diaspora Forum, hosted by Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, two Zambian-born mining experts—Victor Mwaba and Brave Mushikita—offered a bold prescription: tap into diaspora expertise to reshape mining policy and governance.

Mwaba, a veteran of Rio Tinto and Freeport-McMoRan, argued for a Chile-style hybrid model where state-owned enterprises coexist with foreign investors. “Mining is a means to an end,” he said. “We mine to enrich Zambians—not just to extract copper.” Mushikita, CEO of PS (Pty) Ltd and a chemical engineer with decades of experience, pushed for ZCCM-IH to evolve from passive shareholder to active operator. “Foreign capital will always flow home. We need political will to retain value locally.”

The panel criticized Zambia’s over-reliance on foreign incentives and fragile infrastructure. Mushikita cited South Africa’s ability to double power capacity despite blackouts, while Mwaba lamented Zambia’s dependence on Kariba Dam and “hope-based” industrial policy.

Callers from Lusaka and the UK added urgency. Socialist Party leader Dr. Fred M’membe declared, “We earn less from copper than Cuba earns from cigars.” He urged the government to appoint diaspora experts to advisory boards. The forum concluded with a stark warning: if Zambia doesn’t act, the DRC will outpace it. “This is not nostalgia,” Mushikita said. “It’s survival.”