Police shoot dead two people in Kitwe clash over illegal mining along the railway line

Police shot dead two people in Kandabwe community in Kitwe on 19 October after a violent confrontation with residents over alleged illegal mining along the Mopani railway line, the Zambia Police Service has confirmed. Police Public Relations Officer Chipo Kaitisha confirmed the deaths. According to the police account, officers on patrol tried to stop a group suspected of digging minerals illegally along the railway line. The group was dispersed, but it regrouped and went back to digging, so the officers returned to the scene. Ms Kaitisha said more residents then joined in, blocked the road and threw stones at the officers. After attempts to disperse the crowd failed, officers fired their guns, and two people died. ## Why it matters Digging for minerals along railway lines and on land near mines is how some residents on the Copperbelt earn money, and it is also illegal and a risk to the railway itself. When officers who are armed meet a crowd of residents, the outcome can be deadly, as it was in Kandabwe. Two people have lost their lives, and their families, neighbours and the public will want to know what happened in the moments before the shooting. Source: News Diggers, 24 October 2026, 08:20 (Africa/Lusaka). Link: <https://diggers.news/local/2026/10/24/police-shoot-2-dead-in-kitwe-illegal-mining-clash/>