By Respite Kaoma,
Opposition Green Party leader Peter Sinkamba has questioned the decision by Copperbelt University to award President Hakainde Hichilema an honorary Doctor of Science in Mining degree.
Speaking in an interview with Mafken News, Mr. Sinkamba congratulated the President but argued that the award does not reflect the current performance of the mining sector.
He cited copper production figures, noting that output stood at 882,061 metric tonnes in 2020, dropped to 736,747 metric tonnes in 2023, and has risen to about 890,000 metric tonnes as of 2025. He compared this to production under the Patriotic Front, stating that the marginal increase reflects underperformance.
Mr. Sinkamba maintained that an honorary degree should be reflective of tangible achievements, adding that the current figures do not justify the recognition.
Meanwhile, President Hichilema has set a target of increasing annual copper production to 3 million tonnes by 2031. Speaking at the 2026 Zambia International Mining and Energy Conference in Kitwe, the President said production is expected to approach the 1 million tonne mark in 2026, driven by increased investment.
