Government has posthumously honored leader of the Jerabos in Kitwe, Youngson Kalobo, for the role he played in ensuring young people are empowered through access to mineral deposits at the infamous Black Mountain.
During commemorations of Youth day in Kitwe, District commissioner Binwell Mpundu said Kalobo, who died in 2015 at the age of 37, played a key role towards government’s release of its shareholding in the Black Mountain to the youths.
Youngson, who was the younger brother to Wusakile independent member of parliament Pavyuma Kalobo, led a powerful gang of black market copper traders infamously known as Jerabos.
He fought to claim ownership of the copper dumpsite, popularly known as the Black Mountain, and engaged in illegal mining activities that on several occasions found him on the wrong side of the law.
His young brother, Simmy, is now leading the largest group of copper traders who have transformed into small scale miners.
“Today, we handover a trophy to a gallant youth in the name of Youngson Kalobo for the contribution he had made to the emancipation of the young people in the district. The late Youngson Kalobo was very instrumental in bringing together this group of young people and through his Excellency, the President, there has been an empowerment to these young people we are calling small scale miners,” Mpundu stated
And Mpundu said that the district will every year honour a youth, posthumous or living, for their role in contributing to national development.
Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Bright Nundwe handed over the trophy to the Kalobo family.
Youth day activities were held under theme “Zambian Youth: Generation Unlimited”.
