How a Canadian mining giant infiltrated Zambia's democracy

A Global Witness investigation alleges that Canadian mining company First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has engaged in a decades-long covert influence campaign in Zambia, including the alleged funding of President Hakainde Hichilema's party (UPND). The report claims this relationship resulted in significant tax breaks for FQM and other mining firms, totaling an estimated $771 million in savings for FQM between 2022 and 2025. The investigation further details the role of the Brenthurst Foundation and SABI Strategy in shaping economic policy and managing disinformation campaigns to support Hichilema's political rise and retention of power.

• First Quantum Minerals (FQM) is alleged to have been a major funder of President Hakainde Hichilema's United Party for National Development (UPND) across multiple election cycles, with some sources claiming the company pledged up to $50 million to ensure his victory in the upcoming August election.
• Changes to Zambia's tax and royalty regimes implemented by the Hichilema administration have resulted in an estimated $771 million in savings for FQM between 2022 and 2025, while the broader mining sector saved an average of $305 million annually in tax and $124 million annually in corporate income tax deductions.
• The Brenthurst Foundation, funded by the Oppenheimer family, allegedly provided long-term funding, technical support, and wrote the economic policies that Hichilema implemented after taking office, acting as an "influence project" to ensure commercial interests were satisfied.
• SABI Strategy, a British lobbying firm, has managed Hichilema's social media campaigns since 2015, utilizing data-driven microtargeting and disinformation operations, and allegedly introduced Hichilema to Cambridge Analytica in 2016.
• The Hichilema administration is accused of using "rogue" social media pages to spread propaganda and target critics, while FQM allegedly funded its own covert media operations through Suma Systems to publish pro-company content without advertorial disclaimers.
• In December 2025, opposition and independent MPs were allegedly flown to the Royal Zambezi Lodge—owned by the Pascall family (owners of FQM)—where some were reportedly offered up to $150,000 in cash to vote for Bill No. 7, a controversial constitutional amendment to increase the size of the national assembly.
• FQM secured a closed-door deal known as "Project Markle" with state-owned ZCCM-IH, which restructured equity stakes and replaced dividend payments with a 3.1% royalty, while ZCCM-IH agreed to drop a criminal complaint against FQM directors regarding a $520 million unauthorized transfer.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). How a Canadian mining giant infiltrated Zambia's democracy. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/how-a-canadian-mining-giant-infiltrated-zambias-democracy/

Chicago

Global Witness. How a Canadian mining giant infiltrated Zambia's democracy. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/how-a-canadian-mining-giant-infiltrated-zambias-democracy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=How a Canadian mining giant infiltrated Zambia's democracy |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/how-a-canadian-mining-giant-infiltrated-zambias-democracy/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitnessndhow, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{How a Canadian mining giant infiltrated Zambia's democracy}}, institution = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/how-a-canadian-mining-giant-infiltrated-zambias-democracy/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }