By Staff Reporter
Residents of Kalusale in Kalulushi district have in two separate cases demanded billions of Dollars in compensation from Sino Metals Leach Zambia Limited and NFC Africa Mining PLC for the damages they suffered following the collapse of the mining companies dams, which polluted the rivers and environment.
The demand relates to the collapse of the dam on February 18, 2025 which caused personal injuries, financial loss, damages to their land, waterways and /or water sources, health and livelihoods.
In demanded letter from Malambo and Co dated August 22, 2025 and addressed to the directors of the two mining companies, the residents in Chambeshi and other interested Zambian citizens had instructed them to immediately demand USD 200 million ( $200,000,000) as an emergency fund to be used for their clients immediate and urgent remedies until full remedies are provided after the comprehensive assessment together with their collection fee of 20 percent of the sum demanded and VAT.
According to the demanded letter from Malambo and Co, NFC Africa Mining PLC and Sino Metals should establish an Escrow Account for USD 80 billion to be managed by the government on terms and conditions to be agreed upon by the parties as security for environmental repatriation, remediation, restoration and full compensation to make whole all affected individuals, communities and the environment for the on going and long lasting impacts to be determined after the comprehensive assessment among other demands.
The mining companies have be en informed that should they fail to settle the demands within five days from the date of receipt of the demand letter, the law firm has instructions to commence legal proceedings.
And in another demanded letter from Malisa and Partners, the residents have demanded an immediate payment of USD220 as interim compensation to facilitate relocation, resettlement, screening, independent medical testing, treatment an livelihood restoration of the affected households
They also demanded payment of USD 9.7 billion into Escrow, for the establishment of a victims and environmental compensation and rehabilitation fund, to be managed jointly by the government and independent actors on terms to be agreed, for contingent repatriation, medical and psychological assistance for victims, long term clean up, biodiversity restoration and monitoring of the Mwambashi and Kafue Rive ecosystems.
The lawyers stated if the companies do not furnish then with payment of the amounts demanded and a written undertaking to satisfy the other demands enumerated within 10 days of receipt of the letter, they would take legal action.
