Zambia Army Orders Illegal Miners to Vacate Lower Zambezi or Face Eviction

Pictured by Zambia army

SIAVONGA, Zambia

The Zambia Army has issued a stern directive to illegal miners operating along the Lower Zambezi in Siavonga District to vacate the area immediately or face forced eviction.

Army Commander, Lieutenant General Geoffrey Zyeele, said the order is part of intensified national efforts to curb illegal mining, which he described as an economic crime that threatens Zambia’s development and security. Speaking during a tour of the Moomba area along the Zambezi river line, General Zyeele warned that continued defiance will attract harsher enforcement measures.

“Security forces are ready to enforce this order and remove illegal miners across the country if they fail to comply,” General Zyeele said. He noted that illegal mining often fuels other criminal activities, undermining economic growth and national safety.

General Zyeele added that the military has issued repeated warnings over time, and some individuals appear to be acting with impunity. “Those ignoring the law risk carrying lifelong memories of the military in their lives,” he said.

The Army Commander emphasized that the Zambia Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, is committed to safeguarding the country’s natural resources and ensuring that perpetrators of illegal mining and related offences are brought to justice.

Siavonga District Commissioner Geoffrey Jakopo praised the Army and Service Chiefs for their swift action, pledging full support for the enforcement of the directive. “Those who refuse to leave will face the full force of the law,” he said.

General Zyeele was accompanied by Zambia Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Oscar Nyoni, senior officers from the Zambia Army and Air Force, as well as representatives from the Zambia Police and Immigration Department.