By Chinoyi Chipulu
Government has suspended all fishing activities along the Kafue River in Central and Copperbelt Provinces due to the presence of heavy metal contamination in the river.
The suspension came after assessments by the Central Veterinary Research Institute (CVRI) and the University of Zambia School of Veterinary Medicine that had confirmed the presence of heavy metal contamination in the river.
The Kafue River was polluted by Sino Metals, a Chinese owned mining firm on the Copperbelt after its dam collapsed, causing a spillage of acid and heavy metals into the Mwambashi Stream, a major tributary of the Kafue River.
In a statement yesterday, minister of Fisheries and Livestock Peter Kapala stated that the pollution had negatively impacted residents in the two provinces as the Kafue River supported approximately 300,000 households that relied on fisheries.
He stated that the government had enhanced Water Quality Monitoring and biosecurity protocols to prevent further ecological damage and protect residents in the affected areas.
“The Ministry is deeply concerned about the devastating environmental impact caused by the recent spillage of acid and heavy metals from a broken tailings dam. As we are all aware, the Kafue River is a vital fishery in Zambia, supporting approximately 300,000 households. This therefore, makes the river system critical for household food security, nutrition and income generation,” he stated.
Kapala stated that the environmental disaster posed a significant threat to public health and food security.
He stated that urgent measures were implemented to mitigate the damage, protect affected communities and prevent future incidents that would endanger this critical water body and its dependent ecosystems.
“Our experts have confirmed that heavy metal contamination is far beyond safe limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). These findings further confirmed that the pollution created an ecological crisis, leading to extensive fish mortalities and severe water contamination,” he stated.
Kapala stated that the government, through various line ministries, was actively implementing response measures to mitigate the damage and support affected communities.
“These include continuous water quality monitoring: Field teams remain stationed along the Kafue River to track pH levels, metal concentrations, and toxicity to determine the evolving impact on aquatic ecosystems and public health,” he stated. “Suspension of Fishing Activities: As a precautionary measure and to protect public health, we have suspended fishing activities in the affected areas until we are certain that the fish is safe to eat.
“Strengthening Aquatic Biosecurity Measures: Plans are underway for habitat restoration, fish restocking, and enhanced biosecurity protocols to prevent further ecological damage. Fish restocking will be guided by appropriate scientific protocols.”
Kapala also stated that given the anticipated long-term implications of that disaster, the department of fisheries, in collaboration with partners, had developed a research proposal aimed at periodically assessing the levels of heavy metal contamination in water, sediment and fish within the Kafue fishery.
He stated that the research was expected to provide critical data on contamination levels, bioaccumulation risks, and potential mitigation strategies to protect both aquatic ecosystems and public health.
“I want to take this opportunity to call on our partners, local and international, to support this research so we can get the financial and technical resources needed to conduct these crucial studies,” he stated.
Kapala urged residents along the Kafue River to adhere to precautionary guidelines issued by health and environmental authorities.
He stated that communities should refrain from consuming fish from the river until comprehensive water and fish safety tests were completed.
“Residents are further encouraged to report any unusual occurrence related to fish mortality or water quality to the nearest government office,” stated Kapala.
