The Sugilite Saga: Zambia’s Purple Dream That Turned Into Dust
Once upon a time in Zambia, deep in the belly of the Copperbelt, a miracle was discovered. A mineral so rare, so beautiful, and so gloriously purple that it felt like the ancestors themselves had sent it as a sign. Its name? Sugilite. A gemstone that glittered with the promise of wealth, prosperity, and a future where potholes, load-shedding, and kadansa politics would be nothing but bad memories. For a moment, Zambia believed it had finally hit the big time.
Excitement swept through the country faster than a kwacha exchange rate rumor. Politicians lined up to praise the discovery like they had personally struck the pickaxes into the ground. Miners were ululating, local traders were rubbing their hands in anticipation, and social media was ablaze with people dreaming of sugilite-funded mansions in New Kasama and Bentleys on Cairo Road. “Ba Zambia,” we told ourselves, “this is our oil. Forget Dubai; Lusaka is next!”
But as every Zambian knows, when things are too sweet, they sour quickly. Within a few months, the sugilite was finished. Yes, kaput. Just like that, the purple dream turned into a national punchline. “Wait,” the nation asked in disbelief, “that’s all?!” Sugilite had come and gone faster than those free drinks at a Zambian wedding.
Instead of a careful plan to pace the mining and maximize the benefits, we handled the mineral the same way people handle free relish at a market—rushing, grabbing, and consuming without thinking about tomorrow. Export, export, export. Ba Zambia, it’s like we forgot the first rule of nshima: you don’t eat all the relish in one sitting. And just like that, the sugilite was gone, leaving nothing but empty promises and some very rich middlemen.
Meanwhile, the communities near the mining sites, who had been promised development, jobs, and tarred roads, were left with big holes in the ground and big holes in their hearts. “So what happened to the sugilite money?” one resident asked, shaking his head. “It came and went faster than a Lusaka minibus with no change.” The roads stayed dusty, the schools stayed unfinished, and even the boreholes remained dry.
And let’s not forget the environmental damage. Where there were once lush landscapes and wildlife, there are now barren craters and polluted streams. “Eh, it’s like we swapped nature for a disaster movie set,” joked one environmentalist. “We should start charging tourists to visit The Great Sugilite Pit. Bring your own water bottles—it’s hot out there!”
But perhaps the most painful part of the story is how the sugilite was exported raw. Yes, ba Zambia, raw. While other countries polished our purple treasure into expensive jewelry and sold it back to the world, we clapped for ourselves for digging it up. It’s like cooking a pot of beans, giving it to your neighbor, and then buying a plate back from them with your last 20 kwacha. Sangalaleni!
So here we are, left with nothing but lessons from the Great Sugilite Saga. We’ve learned (again) that while Zambia is rich in resources, we’re a little too quick to celebrate and a little too slow to plan. Instead of building local industries, we let the opportunity slip through our fingers. Instead of thinking long-term, we grabbed short-term gains. It’s like we found a chicken that lays golden eggs and decided to braai it on the same day.
But hey, every mistake is a chance to do better. The next time Zambia discovers a shiny new mineral—or any resource, for that matter—let’s approach it like nshima: slow, steady, and mindful of tomorrow’s meal. Because if we don’t, the next big find might leave us laughing at ourselves again. And as they say in Zambia, katwishi… the joke might be too expensive to handle.
What’s happened to the 30 tonnes of raw suggilite confiscated by police which is estimated at K50 million! That money can open road infrastructure in Luapula Province and beyond
This story is hanging
A commission of inquiry must be established to know what happened to it
Vote wisely vote for HH7 in 2026/31
Who is the author apart from the Nyau fore head of a politician.
Oh sorry, I thought I saw the sugilite that had turned into dust in the attached photo kanshi niba ‘honorable’!
This is What typically, happens,When a Nation, has majority of its population illiterate,coupled with , Politicians who re equally mining & economic ILLITERATES
I say so, because, when the issue of SUGILITE, firstly surfaced, it was made to look like , the Country, ZAMBIA,,has discovered,the best mineral in the World,and Zambia was headed to a billionaire Status, Yet,,, Sugilite, is just as Cheap a Stone, found,& imbeded among the mineralisation of MANGANESE,
Ask, any geologist ,they will tell you and explain to you, it’s true Worth,
Sugilite is no more, expensive,than GOLD. or DIAMOND,
In fact if one Googles, on SUGILITE, it will, show & explain to you, it’s chemistry, it’s , Price on the international Market,it’s usage, etc,
Just like they, say, FOOL”S GOLD,
That’s what became of SUGILITE, to an illiterate mind or person, in our Nation