Lubumbashi took the lead in integrating the Copperbelt's copper mines and related industrial resources, and this was clearly not Kitwe Mayor Debern's goal. After all, it was plainly making a wedding dress for Lubumbashi.
So Debern set out his own conditions. He said to Mayor Boke of Lubumbashi, "In this Copperbelt development plan, Kitwe's related demands must be guaranteed. Although Lubumbashi will take the largest share, some important resources should be delegated."
Boke readily agreed. "Naturally. As long as Kitwe cooperates with us, everyone will certainly get a sip of the soup. After all, our goal is to unite the Copperbelt internally and contend against outside competition."
Lubumbashi's advantage over Kitwe lay in its greater overall strength, which meant that Lubumbashi possessed far more abundant financial resources. Beyond that, it controlled more market channels than Kitwe.
After all, Lubumbashi held a higher position as a transportation hub than Kitwe. That point alone had allowed Lubumbashi to seize the initiative in the national market.
Debern intended to use Lubumbashi's advantages in capital, transportation, and markets to make the Copperbelt's cake bigger. Only then could everyone receive a larger share, smoothing away internal contradictions and disputes.
In truth, making the Copperbelt's cake bigger was highly difficult. The Copperbelt not only faced competition from other domestic copper-producing regions, but also had to fend off competition from overseas copper-producing regions. Simply maintaining its current market share without decline was already no easy task.
However, Debern did not explain these matters in detail to Boke. Boke was still immersed in the beautiful dream of unifying the entire Copperbelt.
That was understandable. The Copperbelt was, after all, one of East Africa's more economically and industrially developed regions. If Lubumbashi could firmly establish itself as the regional center, it could further accumulate capital for its future development.