During a meeting organized by the Kalumbila district farmers association in May 2022, farmers voiced their anger towards Christopher Mukala, the sustainability manager of Barrick Lumwana mine. The farmers, who had ceased their agricultural activities due to mining explorations, expressed their frustrations by blocking the road with logs. They accused Barrick Lumwana of not takig their demands and concerns seriously, claiming that the company had instructed them to abandon cassava and other crop cultivation in favor of vegetable production to accommodate the mining explorations for a new mine. The Lumwana sustainability manager attempted to appease the affected farmers, urging them to remain patient and await the completion of the explorations in July.

We invited Barrick Gold to comment on this allegations, to which the company provided the Resource Centre with a response.