🇿🇲 EXCLUSIVE | Zambia Army Moves on Illegal Mining as Politics, Security & Elections Collide

The Zambia Army Commander is not touring the Copperbelt for ceremony. Lieutenant General Geoffrey Choongo Zyeele is on the ground, inspecting units, issuing operational direction, and signalling that illegal mining syndicates have entered the Army’s threat matrix. From the Copperbelt, the operation is expected to extend to other regions where intelligence has flagged similar networks.

What the Army is confronting is not artisanal desperation in its innocent form. It is organised, mobile, and in some areas armed. That distinction matters. Speaking Thursday in Ndola, Lt Gen Zyeele was explicit. “All those individuals who threw stones at the Commander in Chief we shall pick them one by one.” He went further.

“Illegal immigrants, some with military backgrounds, are involved. These are our targets. We will flush them out and if necessary lethal force will be applied without hesitation.”

Those words have triggered outrage in opposition circles. Patriots for Economic Progress leader Sean Tembo has demanded the Commander’s dismissal, accusing him of threatening civilians. Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe has amplified the narrative that the Army is being used to intimidate voters ahead of the August elections, particularly on the Copperbelt.

This framing ignores context and history.

Zambia has been here before. During the Mufumbwe gold rush, law enforcement operations recovered firearms from illegal mining sites. Guns did not fall from the sky. They entered through syndicates. At that point, policing alone proved insufficient. Security escalated because the character of the threat had changed. The same pattern was seen during the Mukula crisis when the state deployed military assets after civilian institutions were overwhelmed by criminal networks embedded in politics and commerce.

The Copperbelt unrest last November followed the same script. When President Hakainde Hichilema was stoned in Chingola, it was not an isolated outburst. Security briefings linked the violence to resistance against enforcement measures targeting illegal mining. That incident crossed a line. Attacks on the Head of State are treated in every serious republic as a strategic threat, not crowd control.

Lt Gen Zyeele’s language reflects that shift. He is not speaking as a police commissioner managing protests. He is speaking as a commander responsible for internal stability. His warning that Chingola will not become “a hub for impunity” is directed at organised actors, not subsistence youths selling sweat for survival.

Why now? Why January? Why so close to an election year?

Security operations do not wait for electoral calendars. Intelligence drives timing. Sources within law enforcement confirm that illegal mining syndicates have expanded since late 2024, with tighter coordination, cross border movement, and political protection. Border security was quietly tightened in November for this reason. When syndicates grow, the cost of delay increases.

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia did not collapse overnight. Armed groups began as informal resource networks tolerated for political convenience.

This is the Army’s core argument. Prevent before contain. Neutralise before militarise.

However, opposition resistance is not surprising. Illegal mining remains a fuel artery for political mobilisation. Youths are deployed not only to dig but to stone, chant, and intimidate. When that pipeline is disrupted, political operations feel the pressure. Jerabos are the best example in this case. This explains why figures like Sean Tembo frame the Commander’s remarks as civilian persecution while avoiding the issue of guns, foreigners, and organised crime.

It also explains why the Copperbelt is central. The region is economically strategic and politically volatile. Any perception that enforcement will change economic dynamics becomes weaponised in opposition messaging. Some analysts are already casting the Army operation as an attempt to secure votes for UPND. This argument collapses when examined against facts. Illegal miners do not vote as blocs. Syndicates mobilise chaos, not ballots.

The Army Commander has anchored his stance in constitutional duty. He reminded the public that the Zambia Army has supported civil authority during cholera, Pandemic, and national emergencies. Internal security is not a deviation from mandate. It is embedded in it

This operation is not about politics. It is about who controls territory, resources, and force. When guns appear in mining zones, the issue exits the economic file and enters the national security file. At that point, the language hardens. The posture shifts. The Army steps forward.

The months ahead will test resolve. Illegal mining syndicates will adapt. Political actors will shout persecution. The Army will continue to move.

History shows that states which hesitate at this stage pay later in blood and fragmentation. Zambia’s security leadership appears determined not to repeat that lesson.

© The People’s Brief | Ollus R. Ndomu

🇿🇲 EVENING WIRE | Zambia’s Political and Public Affairs Close

Thursday closes after a full political day stretching from Southern Province through Lusaka to Northern Zambia and into Muchinga, with President Hakainde Hichilema appearing publicly in Choma amid opposition health claims, a senior opposition figure answering charges in court, traditional authorities asserting neutrality ahead of a royal burial, and law enforcement recording arrests in cross border drug operations.

🟡 Hichilema Meets Catholic Leaders in Choma

President Hakainde Hichilema on Thursday met Catholic Church leaders from Southern Province at his Harmony Farm in Choma, an engagement that coincided with claims from sections of the opposition that he has been unwell and absent from public duties in Lusaka.

According to the Zambia News and Information Services, the President commended the Catholic Church for its continued collaboration with government, particularly in health and education service delivery. He urged Church leaders to encourage participation in agriculture and called for prayers of thanksgiving following favourable rainfall this season.

Livingstone Diocese Bishop Valentine Kalumba reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to working with government and praised the President’s leadership, noting that his decision to spend time at his farm reflected fiscal responsibility and contribution to national food production.

🟢 Miles Sampa Pleads Not Guilty in Cyber Crime Case

Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa appeared before the Lusaka Magistrates Court where he pleaded not guilty to a charge of using a computer or computer system to commit an offence under the Cyber Crimes Act.

The charge relates to a Facebook post allegedly made during the Chawama parliamentary by-election claiming that the Electoral Commission of Zambia had set up an illegal polling station. Magistrate Webster Milumbe granted Sampa bail of one million kwacha in his own recognisance with two working sureties and cautioned him against interfering with witnesses. The matter resumes on February 19, 2026.

🟣 Political Regalia Barred at Chitimukulu’s Wife Burial

The Bemba Royal Establishment has barred political party regalia at the burial of Bernadette Mwamba, wife to Paramount Chief Chitimukulu, who died earlier this week following a road traffic accident in Mungwi District.

Royal spokesperson Richard Mukuka said the burial will take place on Friday at Chimuna graveyard at the Chitimukulu Royal Village, with a requiem mass scheduled at Chitimukulu Catholic Church. He emphasised that political attire will not be permitted at the ceremony.

🔴 DEC Arrests Seven in Multi Province Cannabis Operations

The Drug Enforcement Commission has arrested seven suspects in coordinated operations targeting cannabis trafficking across Muchinga, Luapula, Northern, and Lusaka provinces.

In Muchinga Province, officers intercepted a controlled delivery in Isoka District, seizing 96.8 kilogrammes of cannabis. Additional arrests were recorded in Nchelenge and Mansa for trafficking and unlawful cultivation. In Lusaka, DEC also apprehended a suspect linked to a transnational drug trafficking syndicate involving cannabis transported from South Africa.

All suspects remain in lawful custody awaiting court appearances.

This has been the day!

© The People’s Brief  | Francine Lilu, Mwape Nthegwa & Goran Handya

KALABA IS DAYDREAMING IF HE THINKS HE CAN WIN 2026 ELECTIONS ALONE – ZUMANI

TONSE Alliance National Coordinator Chris Zumani Zimba says the Citizens First party’s performance in recent by-elections, shows that Harry Kalaba needs a bigger sanctuary to survive politically beyond 2026.

Zimba says any political brand outside ECL-PF, UPND and Tonse Alliance cannot win the August polls.

On Monday, Citizens First president Harry Kalaba wondered why he should join the Tonse Alliance when he was not a member of the PF.

Kalaba argued that being in an alliance does not mean working only with a specific group of people.

Meanwhile, Kalaba said he is confident the party’s Chawama candidate, who managed only 1,530 votes, will scoop the seat in the August polls.

Speaking when he featured on Millennium TV, Kalaba said the PF had been destroyed by the UPND.

In an interview, Wednesday, Zimba said it’s clear that CF cannot win the presidency on its own this year as it lacked natural public appeal.

“From the performance of CF in previous by-elections so far including the Chawama by-elections, it’s clear that Honourable Harry Kalaba needs a bigger and better political sanctuary to survive politically beyond 2026. It’s clear that CF cannot win the presidency on its own this year because this party lacks natural public appeal and voters lovability unless they are preparing for 2031 or beyond. In Chawama by-elections, CF had the most popular candidate than both FDD/Tonse Alliance or ruling UPND but they sunk in heavy defeat because Hon Harry Kalaba’s party has not received convincing public attraction or nationwide stakeholders approval like Tonse Alliance, PF or UPND. These are political realities they must introspect and try to answer with honesty and objectivity if they want to pull through beyond 2026,” he said.

“In Zambia today, there are only three major political brands with national approval: ECL/PF, UPND and Tonse Alliance. Anyone who understands current political dynamics will confirm that any political brand outside these three doesn’t come close to kissing victory in August 2026. For Tonse Alliance, the ECL/PF flag stands tall through the ECL PF political Movement although [the] PF party is no longer in the alliance. Therefore, CF must feel comfortable to join Tonse Alliance and the door remains wide open for them and others interested to work with us. To us, the CF policy of political isolationism or splendid arrogance amidst a wind of opposition unity and formation of alliances may soon or later sink Hon Harry Kalaba’s movement beyond redemption and recognition”.

Zimba further urged CF not to undermine or criticise political pacts or alliances on the market, adding it was day dreaming for the party to think they can win the 2026 elections alone.

“Clearly, political dynamics have changed and no political party must cheat themselves that they can campaign to win 2026 on their own: not even the ruling UPND are daydreaming in that fashion. So, let CF not undermine or criticise political pacts or alliances on the market. Let them figure out which Alliance they could join if they mean serious political business. Tonse Alliance would be glad and ready to welcome them. The fact that CF is failing to join Tonse Alliance, People’s Pact, UPND Alliance or WOZA is an indication that Hon. Harry Kalaba has either overrated his political popularity or is acting selfishly to the detriment of his own party and himself,” said Zimba.

“One thing is clear, in [the] 2026 Presidential and General elections, solo political parties and one man commando politicians will only waste their time, energy and resources because they don’t stand any chance to win power. Even HH is dependent on other political players and politicians to join and support in August 2026 as the only survival instinct. What is so special about CF that they think they can win power with Hon. Kalaba alone? That’s practically impossible and day dreaming! Once more, Tonse Alliance would [be] happy to join hands with CF as a new member”.

News Diggers

THOSE WISHING ME DEAD SHOULD GO AND FARM – HH

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has told off those claiming he is sick, advising them to be productive and engage in farming to produce food for the nation.

The President, who was forced to clear the air on his health on live television after Ministry of Information PS Thabo Kawana called him during a broadcast, said he hears that some people are wishing him death, adding that only God controls life.

According to sources, the President, who is at his farm in Choma, is expected to be back in the office this Thursday.

Meanwhile, President Hichilema has asked banks to do better with paying off farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

Speaking when Kawana, who was appearing on Diamond TV, called him to address the speculation, President Hichilema said the Permanent Secretary was listening to people who had nothing to do.

“Thabo, why would you even bother to do that? You are listening [to] people who have nothing to do. They must farm, they must produce food for the nation. We are producing food for the nation,” President Hichilema said.

He wondered why people would joke with life and death.

“Pay particular attention to political parties, those seeking public office, what are they saying they will do for the people, what are they saying they will do about education. Look now, have you seen now that the pass rate has improved in public schools? Have you noticed that? Because we have employed more teachers, the pupil-teacher ratio has come down. It’s because we basically have a school feeding programme, it’s because kids who have eaten will be more attentive in class, because we have desks in schools for kids to sit on instead of on the floor which is uncomfortable and they will not pay attention,” he said.

“Because of free education, then the examination fees were paid, kids don’t have to worry, parents don’t have to worry about the education fees and examination fees. It’s a myriad of these issues. I’m being optimistic because I hear some people are wishing HH death, no, no, no, it’s only God who controls life, I’m here working for the people. I don’t know how people make a joke of life and death, how do you make a joke of life and death honestly? I want to ask the people of Zambia, why would anyone play games with life and death? Why? Do you have an idea? Any answer for me and for the people of Zambia?”

When told by the host that maybe people were just concerned and worried because they don’t see him and wanted some assurance that he was fine, President Hichilema laughed it off, saying: “But why not say so, why put it the way they are putting it? Honestly, why? Why would anybody do a thing like that?”

And commenting on the long queues by farmers at the banks to get their money for maize sold to FRA, President Hichilema recognised that the process was a bit slow but assured farmers that government was pushing the banks to expedite the payments

“We decided to increase the purchase [from the budgeted 500,000 metric tonnes] to 1.6 million tonnes, so that is the differential in terms of the funding gap. But we have since raised the money and the money is with the banks. The payments are going on, they are a bit slow and we are pushing the banks to expedite the payments really. With the electronic age, they can do better, the banks can do better because they can actually transfer money to various farmers, those who have say mobile money or bank accounts. But I think it’s an issue of a number of farmers not having those facilities. But nevertheless, we do apologise for the delay but I think it’s all moving now. We want to assure farmers that they will get their money, that’s the money they worked for, they delivered the maize and they had to be paid and they are being paid,” he said.

“But having said that, the FISP inputs were delivered on time and a number of farmers were able to draw their fertiliser and seeds and other requisites, so they should be able to produce a bit more. Where I am, the crop is looking good, so we are hoping that they will continue producing and feeding the country. As we’ve always said, let’s not be a country of consumers only, let’s be a country of producers as well. And food security is national security, very important, and we are working on improving the marketing arrangement so that we can have more permanence, more certainty if you like. And what are these measures including? These measures include ensuring that we have structured export markets. Which markets? Congo DR, Malawi and others. So that we don’t stop the exports”.

Further, President Hichilema said the increased power supply in the country was something he had said would happen by December due to his methodical way of working.

“By December 2025, I did say that the power situation will improve and it has improved, we are working in an organised way, colleagues, the methodical way. I don’t think anyone can now laugh at this issue of the methodical way of working, that’s the way we are working and in two years’ time or so, three years’ time or so, rain or no rain we will have enough electricity for the country. That’s how we respond to droughts, that’s how we respond to electricity shortages, [it’s] by taking positive actions, investing more in the sector in a diversified manner. That is what we do for this country for all of you and I’m sure you have noticed the difference in the electricity supply situation,” he said.

“But don’t you hear now some people saying ‘ah where has the power come from? This is all about electioneering’. It’s not about electioneering, we did say that we are working very hard from all fronts and you know the reforms we did in terms of open access, independent power producers, independent power traders, private power traders, of course working with Zesco, working with CEC, working with Maamba, diversifying our portfolios, these are the results”.

Earlier, when told about concerns by some sections of society about the whereabouts of the President and the state of his health, Kawana said the President was back on duty.

“The whole world is busy developing and so, but here you are preoccupied with rumours. I have seen, I even saw Lillian Mutambo saying, ‘no he’s very sick’, the other time they said ‘no he’s on oxygen in South Africa,’ the President showed up at the toll plaza there in Choma. He took a holiday, he needed to rest. But you see, he is not like other presidents that when they go to rest they start dancing and drinking beer, no. For him, when he’s taking a rest, it’s to go to the farm, and we are seeing him at the farm, we are seeing him with the animals, we are seeing him with the crops. And that’s where he was and now he’s back, and he’s back on duty. The President is not sick in any way, the President is not unwell in any way, the President is as fit as a fiddle,” he responded.

“Zambians have nothing to worry about, and I also know that Zambians are not worried. But I know that these political doomers are the ones that are envisioning, imagining ‘no, he’s going to die, this year 2026 he will not reach,’ and yet we are in 2026. All these things are as a result… if you remember at the last press briefing when the President was talking about this hatred that people have [for him], the venom that you can target… where you see people wishing you to be so sick, wishing you death, just because they can’t stand that you are there”.

When further queried by a caller to clarify the whereabouts of the President, as a live video on his Facebook page three hours earlier showed that he was still at the farm, Kawana said, “The President is resting and finishing his rest and coming back to work, there is nothing to worry [about], yes he’s on leave. His leave is coming to an end soon”.

News Diggers

HH CAN GOVERN FROM ANYWHERE IN ZAMBIA – HAMSAKA

STATE House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka says President Hakainde Hichilema can govern the country from anywhere in Zambia, including Chamboli.

Hamasaka says former president Edgar Lungu would go to Mfuwe to play pool for a month, yet no one raised any eyebrows.

Commenting on concerns raised by a section of society over President Hichilema’s whereabouts, Hamasaka said the Head of State remained in charge of the country despite being in Choma.

“The people who did not want him to rule are the ones in the forefront demanding that he comes and rules them. We hope they will continue demanding him to continue ruling them even after August this year. They never raised any eyebrows in the past when, for example, the late president was going to Mfuwe for almost [a month]. Ba [Edgar] Lungu would be in Mfuwe for almost a month.

Didn’t we see photos of him playing pool? But now we have a President who is actually working, who is producing food as opposed to just being in Mfuwe playing pool. And by the way, when they say ‘come and rule them’, who told them that when the President is on a working holiday in any part of the country, he is not in charge of the country? Who tells them that? As long as the President is on any part of the soil of Zambia, he is in charge of the country,” said Hamasaka.

“There can be no acting president as long as the President is within Zambian soil, those are the provisions. The President can rule from Katete, he can rule from Chamboli, he can rule from any part of the Zambian soil. Even when the President is in Lusaka, it does not mean he micromanages every aspect of the governance system, that’s not true.

That is why the government machinery is big; we have PSs, directors, and parastatals with all kinds of machinery. Maybe there was a president they were used to who micromanaged every aspect of government, but this President does not micromanage the governance system”.

Diggers

US SET TO QUIT WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION

THE U.S. is due to officially exit the World Health Organisation on Thursday, in the face of warnings it will hit both U.S. health and global health and also in violation of a U.S. law that requires Washington to pay the U.N. Health Agency $260 million in fees that it owes.

President Donald Trump gave notice that the U.S. would quit the organisation on the first day of his presidency in 2025, via an executive order. Under U.S. law, it has to give one-year notice and pay all outstanding fees before departure.

On Thursday, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said the WHO’s failure to contain, manage and share information had cost the U.S. trillions of dollars and the president had exercised his authority to pause the future transfer of any U.S. government funds, support, or resources to the WHO.

“The American people have paid more than enough to this organisation and this economic hit is beyond a down payment on any financial obligations to the organisation,” the spokesperson said by email.

Over the last year, many global health experts have urged a rethink, including most recently WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“I hope the U.S. will reconsider and rejoin WHO,” he told reporters at a press conference earlier this month.

“Withdrawing from the WHO is a lose for the United States, and it’s a lose for the rest of the world.”

The WHO also said that the U.S. has not yet paid the fees it owes for 2024 and 2025. Member states are set to discuss the U.S. departure and how it will be handled at the WHO’s executive board in February, a WHO spokesperson told

“This is a clear violation of U.S. law,” said Lawrence Gostin, founding director of the O’Neill Institute for Global Health Law at Georgetown University in Washington, a close observer of the WHO. “But Trump is highly likely to get away with it.”

Speaking to Reuters at Davos, Bill Gates – Chair of the Gates Foundation, a major funder of global health initiatives and some of the WHO’s work said he did not expect the U.S. to reconsider in the short-term.

“I don’t think the U.S. will be coming back to WHO in the near future,” he said, adding that when he had an opportunity to advocate for it, he would. “The world needs the World Health Organisation.”

For the WHO, the departure of the U.S. has sparked a budgetary crisis that has seen it cut its management team in half and scale back work, cutting budgets across the agency. Washington has traditionally been by far the U.N. health agency’s biggest financial backer, contributing around 18% of its overall funding. The WHO will also shed around a quarter of its staff by the middle of this year.

The agency said it has been working with the U.S. and sharing information in the last year. It was unclear how the collaboration will work going forward.
Global health experts said this posed risks for the U.S., the WHO and the world.

“The U.S. withdrawal from WHO could weaken the systems and collaborations the world relies on to detect, prevent, and respond to health threats,” said Kelly
Henning, public health programme lead at Bloomberg Philanthropies, a U.S.-based non-profit.

Reuters

ARMY COMMANDER DEFENDS ‘EXTERMINATE’ REMARKS ON ILLEGAL MINERS

Zambia Army Commander Lieutenant General Geoffrey Zyeele has defended remarks he made in a viral video in which he was quoted as saying the military would “exterminate” illegal miners.

Speaking when he called on Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo in Ndola today, Lieutenant General Zyeele said his comments were taken out of context, stating that the army is not targeting ordinary Zambians, but responding to what he described as a serious national security threat associated with illegal mining activities.

He explained that intelligence reports have revealed the presence of armed individuals operating in illegal mining areas, with security forces discovering armory-grade weapons, boxes of ammunition, sophisticated drones and other dangerous equipment.

The army commander says the nature of the weapons found is deeply concerning and points to the involvement of organized criminal networks, largely led by foreign nationals, adding that the scale of the threat has outstripped the capacity of the police.

Lieutenant General Zyeele has emphasized that the army’s operations are targeted at individuals posing a threat to national security and not law-abiding citizens seeking to earn a living.

Meanwhile, Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo has backed the military intervention, warning that illegal mining, if left unchecked, can destabilize the country.

PN

“EXTERMINATE AND FUMIGATE”, THE ARMY COMMANDER’S WORDS CAUSE CONCERN

The ordinary usage of the words “exterminate” and “fumigate” especially among civilians, conjures up images of death – killing someone.

It conveys a notion of human rights violations.

But in military parlance, this means to eliminate a threat.

To do this would mean considering all means necessary, among them, excessive or lethal force.

The army is designed to use excessive force by its very nature.

It is not well-suited for law enforcement and crowd control.

So, it is not strange that the Zambia Army Commander would speak in the manner that he did

If such words were uttered by the Inspector General of Police, raising red flags would be in order.

But be that as it may, the concerns being raised by some stakeholders must be understood in the context of democratic accountability.

Some citizens are demanding that President Hichilema explains why he thinks he needs to use the army in a traditionally law enforcement space?

How much of a threat have illegal miners become to warrant the use of the army to deal with them?

Wouldn’t have the paramilitary police been equal to the challenge?

As this discussion unfolds, it’s important to appreciate that the securitization of a given situation constitutionally lies with the President.

This is how we as a people have agreed to govern public affairs.

Therefore, no matter how strong our disagreements may be with the President, we must let him exercise his constitutional responsibility of defending the interests of this country informed by his personal wisdom and advice offered him by relevant constituent parts of the public service.

If he makes a mistake, he will be held accountable in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.

By Kellys Kaunda

By CIC International Affairs.

PUTIN FLOATS $1BILLION PRICE TAG FOR US TO BUY GREENLAND AS HE ACCUSES DENMARK OF COLONIAL TREATMENT.

In a striking intervention into the growing international debate over Greenland’s future, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that if the United States were to buy the Arctic territory from Denmark, the price tag could be “up to $1 billion,” using America’s historic purchase of Alaska and some basic math as a benchmark.

Putin also sharply criticised Copenhagen’s historical treatment of Greenland, accusing Denmark of behaving “like a colony” towards the island’s people.
Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, the Russian leader said Moscow considered the Greenland dispute a matter for Washington and Copenhagen to resolve, adding that Russia had “no stake in it.”

“It definitely doesn’t concern us. I think they will sort it out among themselves he said.

Trump has repeatedly insisted that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority, and that the US must own the island to prevent Russia or China from taking it. The shortest route from Europe to North America runs via Greenland, making it important for the US ballistic missile early-warning system.

Greenland sits at a geopolitical crossroads amid Arctic militarisation by NATO, Russia and China. The US wants to expand its military footprint, including radars to monitor waters used by Russian vessels and submarines.

Russia says talk of Moscow and Beijing being a threat to Greenland is a myth to whip up hysteria.

The island, whose capital Nuuk is closer to New York than the Danish capital Copenhagen, boasts mineral, oil and natural gas wealth, but development has been slow and mining has seen very limited US investment.
Putin framed his comments around historic US land acquisitions.

In televised remarks, he noted that the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million, a deal that at the time was derided as “Seward’s Folly” in reference to US Secretary of State William Seward’s decision to buy Alaskian territory with many critics arguing it was a terrible decision with no value.
However, the purchase later proved strategically and economically significant for the US.

According to Putin’s remarks, if one compares Greenland with Alaska’s size and past transaction value, a similar deal would have seen Greenland priced at roughly $200 million to $250 million.
Factoring in the relative value of gold at the time, he contended, it could push that valuation “probably about $1 billion.”

“Well, I think the United States can afford such a sum,” he added.

Putin also reminded listeners that the United States once bought land from Denmark itself, the Danish West Indies (now the US Virgin Islands), for $25 million in gold in 1917 during World War I.
As part of that treaty , Washington declared it would not object to the Danish government extending its “political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland”, formally recognising Danish sovereignty.

Beyond economics, Putin’s comments took aim at Denmark’s long stewardship of Greenland. He asserted that Denmark “always treated Greenland like a colony” and did so “quite harshly, if not cruelly,” framing the conversation in terms of historical power imbalances rather than purely geopolitical interests.
Greenland was historically a Danish colony from the 18th century, only gaining extensive home rule in recent decades, and it still depends heavily on Danish subsidies and control over foreign affairs and defence.

HISTORY OF GREENLAND AND Denmark ACQUISITION.

Greenland was inhabited by Inuit peoples from Asia and North America intermittently from around 2,500 BCE. Around 985 CE, Vikings led by Erik the Red settled in southern Greenland, farming and building churches. Around the same time, ancestors of today’s Inuit arrived, living as hunters and gatherers. They became the dominant culture, pushing out Viking settlers around 1400.

Denmark colonised Greenland in the 18th century when missionary Hans Egede arrived in 1721, marking the start of the colonial era. A statue of Egede still stands on a hilltop in the capital Nuuk’s colonial harbour, seen by many Greenlanders as a symbol of lost Inuit traditions.

Greenland shifted from colony to formal territory in 1953 under Denmark’s constitution, though Greenlanders were not consulted. Any sale would require a constitutional amendment. Since 2009, Greenland can declare independence through a self-rule process requiring a referendum and Danish parliamentary approval.

Autonomy is extensive but excludes foreign affairs and defence unless agreed. Greenland has about 57,000 people, limited infrastructure, and no roads between its around 17 towns.

While Denmark vehemently opposes a sale, and Greenlandic leaders insist the island is not for sale, Putin’s sidelining of Russia’s direct stake, combined with his critique of Danish governance, underscores shifting geopolitical narratives around Arctic sovereignty and great-power rivalry.

CIC PRESS TEAM

🇿🇲 CONTEXT | What Brenda Nyirenda is Claiming and What the Evidence Shows

Lundazi Patriotic Front Member of Parliament Brenda Nyirenda says Zambians are prepared to vote for any political party, regardless of its history or strength, as long as it is backed byagainst the United Party for National Development.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Nyirenda argued that recent by-election outcomes prove that voters are no longer loyal to party labels but are instead unified by a single objective. “People are resolved,” she said. “They are just waiting to be told, ‘this way,’ and even if it takes a week to inform them the Patriotic Front and positioned to say this is the road that will be taken, UPND is gone.”

Nyirenda pointed to the Petauke and Chawama by-elections as her primary evidence. In Petauke, the PF supported the National Congress Party, which went on to win despite limited national presence. In Chawama, the Forum for Democracy and Development secured victory in a contest where it had previously failed to gain traction. “FDD had never won an election,” Nyirenda said. “They were coming from the tail but today, the FDD has won an election.”

From these outcomes, she concluded that voter behaviour has shifted from party preference to opposition coordination. “Just because the PF backed FDD, it won,” she said, adding that even symbols or party familiarity no longer mattered. “NCP had the most difficult symbol ever, a chair, but the people of Petauke were able to vote on a chair.”

Nyirenda further linked this resolve to public anger following the death of former president Edgar Lungu, arguing that dissatisfaction with how his family was treated had hardened attitudes against the ruling party. According to her, the electorate is now prepared to follow any directive that leads away from UPND governance.

She also described the Chawama result as a warning to the ruling party. “They should know that is a signal that people are not happy with them,” she said, predicting that the UPND would perform worse in a general election where, in her words, there would be no external mobilisation or inducements.

The ruling party has offered a more restrained reading of the loss. UPND Deputy Chairperson for Elections Likando Mufalali said the party would introspect, acknowledging that some areas may have been underrated.

The factual record supports part of Nyirenda’s argument. PF backed candidates using alternative party platforms have won recent by-elections. Voters have demonstrated a willingness to separate local contests from
loyalty. That much is observable.

What is not established is whether this behaviour translates directly to a general election. By-elections operate under different conditions. Turnout is lower. Campaigns are narrower. Voters often vote tactically to register dissatisfaction rather than to choose a governing party.

Nyirenda’s broader claim that the UPND is on an unavoidable path to defeat rests on assumption rather than evidence. It presumes sustained opposition unity, uniform voter motivation, and the absence of incumbency advantages. None of these conditions are guaranteed.

Her most grounded point lies elsewhere. Opposition fragmentation benefits the ruling party. Coordination, even under smaller party banners, has proven effective in limited contests. Whether that coordination can be scaled nationally remains unanswered.

What Chawama and Petauke confirm is discontent. They do not confirm outcome. Anger can influence votes. Power changes hands only when organisation matches sentiment.

© The People’s Brief | Francine Lilu