By Brian Matambo, Sandton, South Africa | 28 July, 2026

NRPUP presidential candidate Hon. Brian Mundubile has unveiled an ambitious recovery plan for the Copperbelt, promising sweeping reforms aimed at restoring the province’s economic fortunes through better wages for mine workers, youth participation in mining, direct benefits for traditional leaders and renewed investment in public infrastructure.

Addressing the media after concluding a five-day campaign tour of the province, Mr Mundubile said the Copperbelt had made its priorities clear and that a future NRPUP government would ensure the wealth generated from mining begins to improve the lives of the people who produce it.

At the centre of his commitments is the introduction of a sector-specific minimum wage for the mining industry, a policy he said would eliminate wage disparities and protect employees working directly for mining companies as well as those employed by contractors and subcontractors.

Mr Mundubile also pledged to reserve Black Mountain operations, tailings and dump site mining for Zambian youths while encouraging large-scale investors to concentrate on developing new greenfield mines. He said government would formalise small-scale mining, provide equipment, technical training and financial support to young miners, allowing them to build sustainable businesses while creating employment.

Traditional leaders also featured prominently in his Copperbelt agenda. Mr Mundubile said it was unacceptable that chiefdoms hosting some of Zambia’s richest mineral deposits continued to lag behind in development. He pledged to establish a framework through which chiefdoms would receive a share of mining royalties to finance community development, empower women, and improve education and other social services.

He further challenged mining companies to embrace the principle of shared value by investing beyond tax obligations. Roads, water systems, health facilities, schools and workers’ housing, he said, should once again become part of the mining industry’s contribution to the communities from which it derives its wealth.

On education, Mr Mundubile reaffirmed his promise to deliver free quality education by reducing classroom congestion, providing free textbooks and supplying free school uniforms. He said women’s cooperatives would be empowered with sewing machines and working capital to manufacture school uniforms locally, creating jobs while supporting vulnerable families.

The NRPUP leader also promised to professionalise and depoliticise the Zambia Police Service, improve officers’ welfare and ensure policing returns to its constitutional role of protecting citizens rather than serving political interests.

Having completed his Copperbelt campaign, Mr Mundubile has now shifted his campaign to Northern Province, where he says communities face similar challenges of abundant mineral wealth but widespread poverty, poor infrastructure and limited opportunities for local people.