An environmental activist examines the ground in Chowa Township, Kabwe, Zambia. This city has a high rate of lead contamination. © 2023 Centripetal Media for Human Rights Watch
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, July 21, 2023 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Zambian government should make major efforts to clean up the contaminated site of a former lead mine in Kabwe, the capital of Central Province, Environment Africa and Human Rights Watch said today. The two organizations released a video in which three young Environment Africa activists describe life in this dangerously polluted city, and outline the actions needed to remedy the situation.
Kabwe is one of the most polluted towns in Africa, due to contamination from an old lead and zinc mine. This mine was originally owned (directly or indirectly) by Anglo-American and British colonial companies, before being nationalized and then closed in 1994. However, the toxic waste from this mine has not been fully disposed of. As a result, lead dust emanating from large uncovered landfills continues to spread to nearby residential areas such as Chowa, Kasanda and Makululu, endangering the health of 200,000 people.
« This town, Kabwe, this is where we live said Mwelwa Lungu, one of Environment Africa’s youth activists. ” And we have the right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment that does not make us sick. »
As part of their research related to the video, the three young Kabwe activists conducted interviews about lead contamination in Kabwe with various people: a boy who was exposed to lead, as well as his parents; a geologist who examined the level of lead exposure in Kabwe; and MP Chryzoster Phiri, who represents this town in the Zambian Parliament.
According to analysis by medical researchers, more than 95% of children living near the former Kabwe mine have high levels of lead in their blood. Nearly half of them would require urgent medical intervention.
Lead is a toxic metal, regardless of the level of exposure to this metal. Lead can cause stunted growth, learning difficulties, memory loss, developmental delays and many other irreversible health effects. Lead can even cause coma and death. Children are particularly at risk. The World Health Organization lists lead as among the 10 chemicals of serious public health concern ».
« The Zambian government should urgently develop a comprehensive rehabilitation program for the former Kabwe lead mine said Juliane Kippenberg, associate director of children’s rights at Human Rights Watch. ” The government should seek technical and financial support for remediation from the companies responsible for the pollution, in accordance with the polluter pays principle, as well as from donor agencies and governments. »
In March 2022, President Hakainde Hichilema asked the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment to create a technical committee to “ develop and lead a comprehensive remediation process in Kabwe. However, this committee is still not operational. The ministry presented its vision of Kabwe as a new “ green city “emerging above the” buried lead surfaces but no concrete plan has been implemented to date.
In 2019, an in-depth investigation by Human Rights Watch had already highlighted the harmful effects of lead contamination on children’s rights to health, information and education.
Distributed by African Media Agency for Human Rights Watch
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Source : African Media Agency (AMA)