By ROGERS KALERO
ABOUT 26 suspected UPND cadres have been arrested for invading the infamous Black Mountain in Kitwe, demanding to takeover operations on the pretext that Patriotic Front-aligned Jerabos were being allowed to mine despite the dumpsite being temporarily closed.
The cadres roughed up police officers who were manning the site and forced their way in.
Police have announced that they managed to apprehend 26 out of over 150 youths who went to the “Black Mountain” to cause confusion.
“They demanded that they should be given 30 percent of the ‘Black Mountain’, Copperbelt Deputy Police Commissioner Lazarous Mbuzi said in an interview.
Mr Mbuzi said the 26 cadres were arrested after fighting running battles with police officers and in the process one police constable, Kaluya Michael, aged 40 was assaulted by Gabriel Kafwimbi aged 28 of house number D4-102 Wusakile township who punched him on the left side of the face.
He said 25 were arrested for conduct likely to cause the breach of the peace, while one was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer
Mr Mbuzi said the 25 were released after paying admission of guilt fines for conduct likely to cause breach of the peace, while the one who assaulted the police officer was still in police custody at Wusakile Police Station
When contacted for a comment whether his members were among those who caused confusion at the Black Mountain, Small-Scale Miners Association chairman Kelvin Tembo said his members were above such conduct and would always pursue dialogue in achieving anything.
Mr Tembo said his members were not involved in the fracas which happened at the Black Mountain because they believed that there were better ways of achieving things than confrontation.
Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe last month suspended mining activities at all dumpsites, popularly know as black mountains, until there is sanity in the operations.
