Zambians are reeling from the catastrophic effects of toxic pollution in the country’s most important river, since the beginning of the year, reports the authoritative UK-based Climate Home News international online publication.  

The shocking revelations were made last week after four mining companies were accused of polluting the watershed of Kafue River, a source of drinking water and livelihood for millions of Zambians, with poison. 

Since January, four copper mining companies operating in Zambia, one British and three Chinese firms, have been accused of releasing toxic mining waste into the Kafue River’s watershed, in one of the country’s worst environmental disasters. 

The most devastating spill occurred on February 18, when the tailings dam holding mining waste from Chinese company, Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, burst its walls and released 50 million litres of acidic effluent into the river. 

“The pollution killed fish, burned maize and groundnut crops, and led to the deaths of livestock, wiping out livelihoods and deepening the plight of struggling farmers. Days after the spill, the water supply to the nearby town of Kitwe was shut down,” wrote Pamela Kapekele in Climate Home News’ latest edition 

The spills have sparked outrage across Zambia as the government plans to quadruple the production of copper, a mineral critical to the energy transition, to three million tonnes a year by 2031 to capture a share of the boom driven by rising demand for electric vehicles worldwide. 

Copper mining is the cornerstone of Zambia’s economy. In recent years, the government has wooed international investors to develop its resources, with Chinese companies making big investments in its mining sector.  

Eroded livelihoods  

Environmental advocates accuse the companies of reckless mining practices that prioritise profits over safety, and a systemic failure of the government to protect both people and the environment.  

“The environmental impact of this pollution is catastrophic,” said Raymond Mutale, Transparency International (TI) Zambia’s acting executive director, regretting that residents are now witnessing their livelihoods being washed away with the toxic water yet those responsible continue to operate with impunity. 

Zambia’s environment minister Collins Nzovu described Sino-Metals’ acid spill as a serious environmental disaster that could have been avoided if proper safety measures were in place. He announced that a multi-agency task force would investigate the spill, assess damages and enforce penalties.  

“We will ensure that those responsible face the full force of the law, and we are reviewing current environmental regulations to prevent future occurrences,” he said. 

A coalition of environmental justice organisations has urged the government to prosecute Chinese companies for environmental crimes. The coalition decried a pattern of gross “corporate negligence and inadequacies in environmental compliance, oversight and enforcement” and called for urgent reforms of the mining sector. 

“Should mining expand within the current status quo and modus operandi, citizens and the environment are at risk of widespread disasters such as those recently reported,” the coalition warned in a joint statement. 

When the dam holding Sino Metals’ mining waste (known as tailings) collapsed, Care for Nature Zambia NGO Executive Director Nsama Musonda Kearns rushed to the spill site. She described a “devastating” sight and people in shock as the murky acidic waters flooded homes in the nearby Kalusale area. 

“People unknowingly drank contaminated water and ate affected maize. Now many are suffering from headaches, coughs, diarrhoea, muscle cramps and even sores in their legs,” she told Climate Home News. The community fears having to find alternative farmland to survive, she added. 

Around 60 per cent of Zambia’s population of 20 million people depend on the Kafue River for irrigation, fishing and industrial use. The river, which is a major tributary of the Zambezi – one of Africa’s longest-flowing rivers – supplies drinking water for five million people, including its capital Lusaka. 

The Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ), the body that regulates engineering practices in the country, dispatched a team of senior engineers to investigate the dam’s collapse. A preliminary investigation revealed flaws in the dam’s design, approval and operational processes, the institution’s president Wesley Kaluba told Climate Home. 

“The team also observed cracks, uncompacted walls and inconsistent wall thickness, which raises concerns about the integrity of the structure. There was insufficient evidence to confirm whether the infrastructure was operated by qualified and licensed engineers,” Kaluba said, warning that any EIZ members found to have contributed to the incident would face disciplinary action in line with the institution’s code of conduct. 

Sino Metals has apologised for the environmental disaster and the harm caused to local communities and is committed to remedy the situation by cleaning up the river and helping restore people’s livelihoods. Mining activity remains suspended. 

History of spills 

In January, a toxic spill at Mimbula Mine, owned by British company Moxico Resources, contaminated nearby water sources. Local residents reported severe water pollution, with rivers turning reddish-brown and emitting a strong chemical odour. 

“The Mimbula spill is yet another example of how mining companies prioritise profits over environmental safety,” said environmental lawyer Gloria Mulenga.  

“Without stricter enforcement, these disasters will continue to endanger lives and livelihoods”. 

Elsewhere in Copperbelt Province, a Rongxing Investments mine director was arrested this month after the Chinese company reportedly ignored a government order to halt its activities following the death of a worker, who allegedly fell into a pool of acid, and extensive acid spillage into a local stream. 

In the southern Mumbwa District, the Chinese-owned Ozone Mine has also been accused of discharging chemical waste into local water bodies. Farmers reported unusual crop failures and increased cases of waterborne disease among children 

“We cannot continue to tolerate this level of recklessness, these mines are poisoning our lands and our futures,” said Mumbwa community leader Beatrice Nkulungwe. Regulatory agencies were yet to take action against the mine as of last week. 

Acid leaks are not new in Zambia. Mining companies have previously been accused of cutting corners to maximise output and accountability for disasters has been slow to follow. A 2017 compliance by the Office of the Auditor General raised concerns, but TI’s Mutale told Climate Home little had changed since. 

Instead, he said, the government’s plan to ramp up copper production has made the situation even worse due to increased mining projects. Government agencies responsible for the sector’s environmental oversight were too poorly resourced to effectively monitor mining activities and under pressure to approve projects. 

In fact, Mutale added, to cure perceived bureaucracy, the Zambia Environmental Management Agency has had to fast-track environmental permitting, further weakening oversight.  

“If the government is serious about increasing mining production, it must also invest in regulatory agencies to ensure compliance and protect our environment,” he observed. 

African Rivers CEO Bobson Sikaala warned that weak enforcement of environmental regulations had created an atmosphere of impunity in the mining sector.  

“Polluters often face minimal penalties, allowing them to continue their operations without meaningful consequences,” he said. 

The organisation called on the government to form a cross-sector force to handle compensation for affected communities and to mandate climate-sensitive mining practices. 

“The government must give these laws sharp teeth to bite. We cannot afford to have regulations that look good on paper but fail in reality,” Sikaala added.