DR Congo detains 58 after artisanal miners' protests disrupt Kolwezi
Security forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo arrested 58 people suspected of exploiting violent protests by artisanal miners in Kolwezi, where roadblocks and clashes followed government inspections of mineral facilities.
Artisanal miners in Kolwezi started protesting on October 19 after an inspection team from Kinshasa examined mineral processing plants and buying centres, which miners said limited their ability to sell copper and cobalt. The demonstrations spread across several neighbourhoods, with roadblocks, tyre fires and stone-throwing that injured several people and damaged property. Police responded with tear gas and, according to one outlet's reports, a police post was set ablaze, allowing some detainees to flee.
On October 23, provincial Interior Minister Roy Kaumba Mayonde received a list of 58 individuals accused of taking advantage of the unrest to commit offences, though their involvement has not been confirmed. The protests also highlighted ongoing disputes over relocating miners from the Kamilombe concession owned by state-run Gécamines to designated artisanal zones such as ZEA 371.
Why it matters
The arrests underscore tensions over mining rights and regulatory enforcement in a key copper-cobalt region.
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