As allowed by law, CAZ wrote to ZEMA Board in July 2022 to ask them to review their decision to approve copper mining inside the Lower Zambezi National Park by Mwembeshi Resources but had still not received a response by February 2023. It was claimed this breaches Zambia’s environmental management laws and shows “procedural impropriety”.
In frustration, CAZ made an application to the High Court for judicial review of ZEMA. This hearing was adjourned twice by the environmental management agency and ZEMA finally stated that it had “no authority” to review its own decision in a letter dated 30 March 2023. ZEMA neither allowed or dismissed the review application and nor did they conduct an inquiry as prescribed by law.
CAZ have now applied to the Minister of Green Economy and Environment for a review of the decision to allow mining inside the Lower Zambezi National Park on the same grounds. This is provided by law under section 115 of the Environmental Management Act no. 12 of 2011.
The Lower Zambezi National Park is an integral part of the wider Zambezi basin, which is the most significant shared resource that contributes to the economic, environmental, and social development of southern Africa.
Sustainable management of this resource is crucial in securing the futures of over 250 million people in the broader region that depend on it. Tourism establishments in the park and surrounding areas employ more than 7 400 local people, generating a local wage bill of $4 million annually that indirectly supports thousands more people at a local community level.
More than 50 000 people around the world have signed a petition run by a large Coalition of CSO’s, traditional leaders and other stakeholders to halt the mine, demonstrating outrage and deep concern about the mine. This came after the Coalition launched a hard-hitting social media campaign called #SaveZambeziSafeZambezi to raise awareness of the issue. The campaign reached over 1.2-million people around the world in a brief period of six months.
Zambian founding father Kenneth Kaunda in his last months wrote a heartfelt protest against the mine. Supporters of the mine rely on a flimsy argument that this is a “Zambian mine” but there remain unanswered questions about the actual ownership of the mine which was sold after its initial rejection.
According to various international company records the mine is ultimately owned by a Chinese group.
The Coalition says: “We are at risk once more of giving up our natural resources for much less than they are worth and putting our own livelihoods and health up for a quick, cheap sale. The Save Zambezi Safe Zambezi campaign appeals to our leaders, let’s make the right decision this time, for ourselves and for our children.”
Background summary:
In 2012, ZEMA initially rejected the proposed copper mining inside the national park on the basis that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was not sufficient. A technical review committee agreed. Since those decisions the global copper price dropped and no one seemed interested in the mine anymore, until the copper price started climbing again more recently.
The mine proposed is an open pit mine. It involves the excavation of a large open pit or a series of pits, which are gradually deepened and expanded to extract the desired mineral. Open pit mining typically involves the use of heavy equipment, such as bulldozers, excavators, and trucks, to remove overlying material and expose the mineral deposit. Tailings storage facilities are used to store the waste materials generated from mining operations, called tailings. These waste materials, including dangerous chemicals, are stored in dams constructed near mining sites.
ZEMA, in their own decision letter, wrote that the tailings storage facilities were “risky” and the “chances of failure are high”. International mining experts have reported that these proposed methods would never be allowed in other countries due to the risk of water contamination downstream. Acidic water and heavy metals and chemicals such as cyanide can leak into nearby water sources. The same water that communities in the Luangwa area use for farming and fishing not to mention drinking.
In ZEMA’s words the mine would “destroy the landscape of the park”. Supporters of the mine have relied on reasoning that it would bring local jobs. However, when we read the EIA in detail, only 300 jobs are mentioned. This equates to 0.01% of Rufunsa alone. And it isn’t even guaranteed that these jobs will be available to local people rather than foreign contractors. Not to mention that a globally important wildlife area will be threatened by pollution and destruction.
The national park has been reported to provide 7,463 jobs for the local population through lodges, NGOs, DNPW, construction, transport, etc, all of which will be on the line should the park be damaged by the mine, as is forecast.
The Coalition strongly appeals to the Honourable Minister of Green Economy and Environment to review the May 2021 Decision Letter by ZEMA and renews its call on all Zambians, and everyone who cares about the future of this region, to sign the petition to halt the Kangaluwi mine.
The petition can be found on the website change.org, under the name SaveZambeziSafeZambezi. Sign the petition https://www.change.org/SaveZambeziSafeZambezi
Join the movement https://www.facebook.com/savezambezi
See Zambezi Valley Conservation Network article for a comprehensive overview of the issue:
https://www.zambezinetwork.org/2022/12/kangaluwi-copper-mine-in-the-lower-zambezi-national-park-threatens- the-zambezi-valley-basin/