Categories: Editor's Picks

CSOs to petition Court over copper mining in Lower Zambezi

• WWF Zambia does not support the proposed mining in the Lower Zambezi National Park.
• The tourism establishment in the park and surrounding areas employs over 7400 local people.
• The National Park is of key biodiversity importance for southern Africa.

A Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other stakeholders have disclosed that they will petition the High Court to halt copper mining in the middle of the Lower Zambezi National Park.
Speaking at a press conference in Lusaka, CSOs under the banner “Save Zambezi, Safe Zambezi,” including World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Zambia, have pledged to continue fighting for the country’s natural resources to protect the biodiversity.
WWF Zambia representative Fungai Musana said the organization does not support the proposed mining in the Lower Zambezi National Park, because the tourism establishment in the park and surrounding areas employs over 7400 local people and generating many millions of dollars in local wages each year.
Mr. Musana explained that the National Park is of key biodiversity importance for southern Africa, with about 400 animal species of which 165 are mammals.
“Of the 20 National Parks in Zambia only 4 of the national parks generate 96% of the revenues from nature based tourism. These are South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi, Mosi Oa Tunya and Kafue in the order of revenue and employment created. The Lower Zambezi National Park ranks 2nd of the 4, only after South Luangwa. The Lower Zambezi tourism currently supports about 7, 463 direct and indirect jobs,” Mr. Musana stated.
And Organization Country Director Nachilala Nkombo has commended Zambia and Zimbabwe for signing a Memorandum of Understanding on the development of the Lower Zambezi-Mana Pools Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA) on 26th May 2023.

“The TFCA agreement seeks to make the Lower Zambezi and Mana Pools National Parks into a world-class tourism and conservation destination, attracting visitors from around the world. Mana Pools is a World Heritage Site, and the UN has suggested that Zambia consider requesting the World Heritage Commission to provide the same status for the Lower Zambezi National Park.”

“To secure a healthy, prosperous, future for communities in the Lower Zambezi area covering Chirundu, Rufunsa and Luangwa districts in Zambia, WWF Zambia urges the GRZ to review and cancel the license for this mining operation. This would be fully consistent with prior political commitments as espoused in the environmental sustainability pillar of the 8th National Development plan and the recently signed TFCA MoU,” she said.

Speaking at the same event, Conservative Advocates Zambia (CAZ) Director Mehluli Malisa Btakathi revealed that on 19th May, 2023, Minister of Green Economy and Environment Collins Nzovu rejected the CSOs’ appeal for him to overturn Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA)’s decision to allow mining operations in the Lower Zambezi National Park.
Mr. Btakathi said by so doing, Government has missed an opportunity to correct a wrong that was committed and perpetuated by their predecessors.
“We are not against mining or any extractive industry, we are not against development and we are definitely not against industrialization. However, what we are against is the wanton disregard of our national laws in the name of bringing development.”
“The developer in the Kalanguwi Project in Lower Zambezi obtained a 25-year mining licence on the 16th of March 2011, it is also a Fact that the EIA for the said project was only submitted to ZEMA on the 14th of March 2012 exactly a year after the Mining Licence was granted. The real question that begs an answer is how this mining licence was granted contrary to the provisions of the law,” he wondered.
Meanwhile, Mwembeshi Resources Limited, developers of the Kangaluwi Mine located in the Lower Zambezi National Park said it is disappointing that organizations that seek to halt the mining activities have little information about the mine.
Company Corporate Affairs Manager Oliver Shalala stated that the company has invested Modern technology to be used that allows wild life to co-exist with mining.
Mr. Shalala accused the CSOs of shunning to meet the company to understand and appreciate the plan and strategy the mining firm intends to implement to safeguard wildlife while performing mining activities.
“The mining that will be done in the park is modern mining which has no pollution and less effect to the biodiversity and less harmful to wild life. The smelter and any other value addition activities for the minerals will not be done in the park,” Mr. Shalala stated.
Section 16(2) of the Zambia Wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015 provides that a mining right shall not be granted in a National Park, Community partnership Park or bird and Wildlife sanctuary without an Environmental Impact Assessment in accordance with the procedures specified by the Environmental Management Act, 2011.

More From Author

World Bank urges Zambia to capture other benefits beyond mining sector

• World Bank is committed to supporting African countries to translate Africa’s mineral wealth into…

Read More

Kwacha gains should benefit consumers – BuyZed

• This is to ensure that consumers begin to enjoy what is produced locally.• Manufactures…

Read More

SEC attributes decline in Q4 bond trades to delayed debt restructuring process

• One of the challenges is to do with the delays in finalizing the debt…

Read More

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like

IZB profit up 18.74% to K604.33 million

IZB has posted a K604.33 million Net Profit after tax for the year ended 31st…

Read More

Indo Zambia Bank declares K50 million dividend cheque

This is part of the K125 million dividend, the highest ever for 2023 financial year.…

Read More

Economist expects currency to hit K15 between April, December, 2024

  The Kwacha has been experiencing an unusual decline since introduction of the Export Proceeds…

Read More