By Chinoyi Chipulu
Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) says the proposed K16 million to compensate over 500 farmers affected by the pollution from the mines on the Copperbelt Province falls woefully short of addressing the magnitude of the damage caused.
And Environment Africa Climate Change activist Clarence Mwangala says the government should enforce stricter penalties for polluting companies to deter negligence because no other country could have taken the case lightly as it has been taken in Zambia.
Last week, the government announced that more than K16 million was expected to be spent on compensating 507 farmers affected by the pollution from Sino Metals Leach and Rongxing Investment mining companies, which contaminated the Mwambashi and Kafue rivers.
The pollution by the two Chinese owned mining firms happened after their dams collapsed, causing a spillage of acid and heavy metals into the Mwambashi Stream, a major tributary of the Kafue River.
The effluent destroyed crops and killed a number of fish in nearby dams such as Mwambeshi and in the Kafue River.
Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo announced at a press briefing that the affected farmers would receive compensation based on the size of their farmland and the number of livestock lost.
But CEJ executive director Maggie Mwape urged the government and the mining firms to reconsider the compensation package and ensure that it was commensurate with the extent of the damage caused.
In an interview, Mwape said that the farmers affected by the pollution deserved fair and just compensation that reflected the true value of their losses. She said anything less would be a disservice to the very people the government sought to support.
“The water pollution has had devastating effects on the local ecosystem, affecting not only the health and well-being of residents but also the livelihoods of countless individuals who depend on the land and water for their survival,” she said. “The government’s recognition of this issue and its determination to find a solution is a step in the right direction. However, we are compelled to express our deep disappointment and concern regarding the proposed compensation package of K16,000,000 for over 500 farmers who have been adversely affected by the pollution.”
Mwape said while the government’s intention may be to provide some form of relief, her organisation strongly believed that the proposed amount fell woefully short of addressing the magnitude of the damage caused.
She said on average, each farmer would receive a mere K30,000, which is a paltry sum considering the irreparable harm inflicted upon their land, water sources, and livelihoods.
“The loss of fertile land and access to clean water has far-reaching consequences, including reduced agricultural productivity, diminished economic opportunities, and increased vulnerability to poverty and food insecurity,” Mwape said. “We recommend that the government adopts a more comprehensive approach to addressing the Copperbelt water pollution issue such as expedite the process of conducting a thorough environmental impact assessments to determine the full extent of the pollution and its effects on local ecosystems and communities.”
She said the government should implement sustainable solutions to mitigate the pollution, such as investing in wastewater treatment infrastructure and promoting environmentally responsible practices among industries operating in the area.
And Mwangala said there was need for regular monitoring of mining activities across the mines and strengthening of environmental regulations in the country.
She said the government should enforce stricter penalties for polluting companies to deter negligence by the mining firms.
“If this act happened in China and a foreign country made such damages it would not be taken as lightly as it has been taken in Zambia,” she said.
Mwangala said it was important for the government to invest in environmental education for both the mining sector and the agricultural sectors so as to learn of their environmental rights as well as best practices for environmental protection and sustainability.
She added that the money was not enough to sustain the farmers even if it may seem enough on face value, the reality of the economy at the moment spoke differently, especially for the farmers that relied on their land entirely.
She said if the money was to be divided equally among the farmers, each of them would get about K31, 496.
“Unfortunately it will not be divided equally, which implies that there are farmers who are likely to get less than that since it’s compensation based on size of farmland and number of livestock lost,” she said. “The effects of the pollution caused go beyond short term solutions and the K16 million is addressing the short term solution because with the current status of our economy you cannot buy farm land at K31,496 and buy livestock as well as feed for the livestock and have enough money left for feeding yourself and the family until the next farming season.”
