ROSE FUMPAMAKANO
ON FEBRUARY 18, 2025, Kitwe residents and Zambians in general woke up to a lifethreatening announcement regarding pollution of the Kafue River, its surrounding areas and down-stream of that river basin.
This terrible environmental pollution arose from hazardous acid waste which leaked from Sino Metals Leach Zambia Limited, where the walls of its Tailings Storage Dam TD15F collapsed.
This incident released toxic acid and other hazardous waste into Mwambashi River and Lusale stream, both of which are major tributaries of the Kafue River, one of Zambia’s major inland freshwater basins.
In terms of economics, the Kafue River supports numerous enterprises and livelihoods, both big and small companies such as water utilities, agriculture, aquaculture, horticulture, construction, tourism, the hospitality industry and many others.
As a matter of urgency, Government responded quickly, compelled Sino Metals to halt its operations until the breached dam wall was repaired to prevent any further environmental harm to Kitwe residents and surrounding areas.
Restorative measures included applying lime in Mwambashi River, Lusale stream and Kafue River to neutralise the acid effluence to restore environmental integrity and protect human, livestock and aquatic life that depends on the Kafue River basin.
The impact from Kafue River pollution was immediate and devastating.
The acid killed people’s crops, vegetable gardens, fish in the river and private fish ponds, and poisoned the water and pasture for livestock, among others.
In short, the pollution simply rendered the Kafue River basin unusable in any way.
To deter any further health challenges at workplaces, companies and public offices closed down, which meant loss of income to both companies and their employees, especially classified daily employees whose pay is based on their daily clocking in.
For over three weeks, Kitwe residents and communities downstream were stopped from using the Kafue River until the water was declared safe for human and livestock consumption.
While these actions were considered commendable in responding to Kafue River pollution, several questions still remain unanswered.
How often did Sino Metals check the credibility and strength of its Tailings Storage Dam TD15F? How often does Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) inspect such dangerous facilities?
It is our considered opinion that if Sino Metals or ZEMA inspected such dangerous facilities regularly, it is unlikely this pollution accident would have occurred because any weakness in the dam walls would have been detected on time and remedial actions taken at the right time.
In this case, Sino Metals committed two offences: failure to prevent and failure to protect and should be held accountable for this.
Considering the devastating damage caused to people’s livelihoods, the following questions need immediate attention: What compensation will be given to affected people, whose livelihoods
have been destroyed?
Who is representing the interests of these voiceless majority? When will this compensation be paid?
To put it into context, Kafue River pollution is a serious human security matter which should not be ignored and buried silently.
This pollution destroyed people’s livelihoods and their sources of income: crops, fish in the river and private fish ponds; it poisoned pasture for livestock and consequently the livestock itself, and aquatic life in and around Kafue River.
For all these damages, what will the affected people receive as their compensation package?
We expect to see the law run its course, especially to hear how Sino Metals is going to compensate the people affected by its negligence.
In fact, when experts compute the economic losses caused by the Kafue River pollution, their environmental and social impact assessment should not only count current losses but should include future opportunity losses too.
For instance, how long will it take for the polluted pieces of land to be restored to their productive use? Who will bear the cost of that restoration?
Between now and that time, where will the affected people draw their livelihoods from? How much compensation will this entail?
It is the people’s expectation that Sino Metals and Government will work together to ensure that the affected people are compensated quickly and adequately.
Human security is a human right.
As advocated by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, these people must be free from fear, free from want and free to live in dignity.
The author is a lecturer at Dag Hammarskjöld Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, Copperbelt University Lusaka campus.
