Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) in Mufulira has disclosed that part of its under ground water table has been contaminated following an acid spillage in to the main water supply domestic system that pumps water to households in former mine townships.
And several people have been admitted to various hospitals in Mufulira district after they complained of abdominal pains, vomiting and other aliments upon consuming the contaminated water.
The water is usually supplied to the residents living in former Zambia Consolidated Copper Mine (ZCCM) houses by Mulenga Water and Sewerage Company which has since disconnected supply to its affected consumers.
MCM Mufulira division acting Mine manager Aldo De La Cruz informed Mufulira District Commissioner Dyford Muulwa who rushed to the mine that the water table was polluted yesterday.
Mr. Cruz explained that the water could have been polluted following a crack at one of the pumps taking acid from the leach plant to the under ground.
The acting mine manager who was at grave pains to explain the cause of the latest pollution to a team of government and security officers added that the mining firm was doing every thing possible to rectify the problem.
Mr. Cruz could also not inform the government officials at the exact amount of acid that was in the water and what remedial measures the mine had put into place to curb the pollution.
Several residents became suspicious after they noticed that the water which was supplied to them today had a different colour as it looked sky blue and immediately turned black after adding chlorine to it.
And there was panic and uncertainty in Mufulira after word went round that the water being supplied to residents was contaminated.
Scores of people living in ex mine townships immediately rushed to nearest health centres and hospitals demanding to be examined by medical personnel.
The residents who were almost unruly blocked the entrance to the offices of Mulonga Water firm in the city centre and Mulonga offices situated in the mine area which were deserted.
Police had to be called in to keep vigil at the premises of both the mine plant and water firm including health centres were the irate residents had gathered.
The town centre was also sealed off by state police clad in riot gear.
And Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company branch manager Chris Chilekwa noted that the results from the collected water samples from various affected locations indicate that the PH level (acid) in the water from the mines was above normal.
Both Mulonga Water and Mopani management have not yet established the exact level of acidity which has been released into the water.
And five people in the border town have been admitted at Malcolm Watson hospital after consuming the contaminated water.
Malcolm Watson deputy superintendent Remmy Cheelo confirmed the development to Mufulira district commission Dyford Muulwa who visited the hospital.
Dr. Cheelo disclosed that 40 people had been seen by health personnel at the hospital after they complained of abdominal pains and vomiting.
And Mr. Muulwa told ZANIS in an interview that several other residents have been admitted at Ronald Rose hospital following the latest incident.
Ronald Ross executive director Makasa Sichela told ZANIS in an interview that they were no deaths after the pollution as earlier perceived by some section of the community.
And the Mufulira DC Mr. Muulwa has described the latest pollution as a scandal and totally unfortunate.
Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima has expressed regret at the latest water contamination by Mopani Copper Mine in Mufulira district.
He hoped the latest incident will not affect supply of water to residents in the border town.
And Mufulira District Commissioner (DC) Dyford Muulwa has told the Copperbelt Provincial Minister that one person was currently lying unconscious at Ronald Ross hospital after allegedly consuming the contaminated water.
Mr. Muulwa said this in his office today when he briefed the provincial minister about the latest acid pollution incident.
Earlier, the Copperbelt minister who was accompanied by permanent secretary Jennipher Musonda added that he was relieved that no lives have been lost as a result of the contamination of the water.
And Mufulira Town Clerk Charles Mwandila said 70 percent of residents will be affected as a result of the shut down of the Mulonga water plant following the pollution incident.
Mr. Mwandila informed the minister that he had sent health inspectors from the local authority to ascertain the exact amount of acid currently present in the water.
He added that he had been briefed by Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) management that corrective measures had been put in place to avert the situation.
And two opposition Patriotic Front (PF) members of parliament in Mufulira district have described the latest water contamination caused by Mopani Copper (MCM) Mines as an act of sabotage.
And the two law makers have meanwhile expressed fear that the entire Copperbelt region risked being affected by the pollution caused by Mopani.
The two MPs are Yamfwa Mukanga for Kantanshi constituency and Percy Chanda for Kankoyo.
In an interview with ZANIS in Mufulira today, the MPs noted that effluents from the mine were usually disposed into the Mufulira stream which was a tributary of the Kafue River and as such, the whole province was at risk.
And the two MPs have vowed that they will take the mine to the courts of law over the latest scandal.
They added that the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) should quickly move in and surcharge Mopani which they said had unfortunately abrogated existing laws for too long.
They added that today’s water contamination could have been corrected if MCM had put in place monitoring mechanisms that would have avoided the problem.
They charged that it was unfortunate that Mopani had no regard for the health and lives of the community of Mufulira as they had done nothing to avert pollution despite several appeals to the the firm.
The two parliamentarians were part of a team that visited the mine plant to have a meeting with mine management but were unsatisfied with reasons advanced to them by Mopani management over the pollution.
Environmental pollution or contamination by any industry is a very serious case under the law in the U.S. They should be very serious cases even in Zambia. Having studied how America has evolved through the years to tackle the problem of environmental pollution makes me think that the Zambian government and Environment Council of Zambia (ECZ) have many lessons to learn from the U.S.A.
Here we go again. We seem not to learn from past. First it was KCM and now its MCM. It seems these culprites will continue to get away with these crimes against the people of Zambia. It now a song put up monitoring mechnicism to avoid loss of lives by early dictation of spillages. It seems to me also that ECZ is just sleeping just like everyother govt department. MCM has to be heavyly fined to set as an example to others.
ECZ does its job but is always sidelined and at times totally ignored by the government. The sad thing is the developed world take ECZ more seriously than our own govt does.
Actually a friend of mine from Mufulira has confrimed to me that two lives have been lost due to the spillage.
mala – msana wandalama,
Revisit “Government should fear church views within the NCC – Pande” (January 1st, 2008) thread.
My remarks to your post # 57 awaits you there.
Happy new year
Bane, We seem to be ignoring what is happening in Kenya. Do we see this happening in Zambia. Sure it is a possibility which we all have to work had to avoid.
HK (6),
This is exactly what i have just told off the so called mala – msana wandalama evidently oblivious to our Zambians unity.He asked me a question in anticipation that i would validate his push of dressing the seating administration an imaginary tribal tag.Regrettably i have little to do with tribal bigots i spot retreated into their tribal cocoons.The Kenyan mayhem is largely a result of a long history of tribal hatred that has found election results as a cover.In whose interest is it?
Tribalists are animals that deserve to be purged right from their first uttered statement in advocacy of ethnic hatred.Wherever they are they in national interest they deserve to be budded out of society and public domain for life at whatever cost.
Tribalists are animals that deserve to be purged right from their first uttered statement in advocacy of ethnic hatred.Wherever they are, in national interest they deserve to be budded out of society and public domains for life at whatever cost.
Thanx to the 73 languages in our country, tribalism might find it hard to rear its ugly head. The Kenya post-election mayhen must have been simmering for a long time considering that the Kikuyus have ruled the others tribes (Luos et al) since independence and the populace rightly thought a change of leadership will be ideal. The real deal in African is encumbants accepting defeat(like Howard in Aussie)and allow others a go at the helm. Recall LMP tell Prof Chirwa ‘you are no good for Zed’, lol.
Macheting one another at grassroots level in whose interest????? Just because Odinga has been denied the Presidency or Kibaki is back in Halambe House?????.
It brings memories of Muyongo and Mutangelwa uprising in Namibia’s kapriv. which was in conspiracy to engulf Zambia.Namibia moved in with resolve & precision.
They are a spirit of co-existence.I have no doubt that Zambian patriots stand to destroy any proponent of such on our soil should it show its demonic trait through any accomplice.
They lack a spirit of co-existence.I have no doubt that Zambian patriots stand to destroy any proponent of such on our soil should it show its demonic trait through any accomplice.
The humble acceptance of the English language as the official language in Zambia has done wonders to harmony. Any other local laguage will in the long run just bring civil unrest, as others are bound to standup!
The issue at hand though is pollution in Mufulira! Victims must be paid and their medical expenses met by the culprit company!
The MCM pollution of Mufulira Water table comes on the foot of the KCM act in Chingola. What precedent has our govt set in this regard? Surely,it our govt values the so-called Foreign Investors more than our lives.There’s no prosecution of MCM and no financial compensation to the Victims of the horrible pollution.Our Lawyers will certainly not seize the moment to launch public interest case in the matter.We are doomed as Zambians – we have no protection from our own govt. Who are we;what are we?
#10 MUNTUZA,
Daniel arap moi was not Kikuyu he was Kalenjin from the rift valley area.Kenyatta was very much aware of the the tribal hedgemony of the Kikuyus and there assumption that they won Kenya independence hence they deserved to be the rulers. He did tribal balancing by appointing senior ministers from small tribes such as Kalenjin,luo,Turkana and Boran. This effectively neutrilised the tribal card. Variant views from a Kanu members such as Oginga Odinga father to Raila
The late Josiah Mwangi Karuiki,late Tom Mboya ened up in isolation.At the death of Kenyatta his vice President a non Kikuyu Daniel Arap Moi took over in a very smooth transition. Tribal sentiments have only started being stirred in the last four years. You can now see where it has landed Kenya the victims of this tribal violence are innocent ordinary people while the politiacions who have been formenting it are safe with their families in comfortable homes.
As for Prof Chirwa ,
We must all learn lessons from Malawi with Hastings Kamuzu Banda, because he was an illustrous Doctor practicing in Scotland malawians imported him to become President. Whithin a short period he had jailed or exiled all his ministers ,declared himself life president and ensured that Malawi remained backward no television and no developement.The citizens were oppressed to a level of numbness.This is exactly what will happen with prof Chirwa.
Yaba! The topic has strayed that i’ve even failed to comment. Nalaisa some other time.
Citizen #17 I didnt insinuate Moi to be Kikuyu but facts are the mayhem is divisely so on tribal lines, which is the truth here. If its extra info I need, much appreciated. Maybe you could add a few lines on the Moi’s Wikipedia…lol
At least someone has noticed the serious happenings in Kenya. It’s a sad situation indeed. One or two lessons can be leant from that I guess. About pollution, govt should do something about it. It’s not just a matter of inviting investors. A lot need to be done.
All the pollution should be blamed on the toothless Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ). The chaps at ECZ are too corrupt to enforce laws on contamination of our environment. Ndola people know better the story of chilanga cement and ndola lime chemical dusts that have caused problems on the passive citizens there. After ECZ, in this case, blame shuld be on pa kampani kamatuvi na mema “Mulonga water & Sewarage” for failing to detect the acid before realising water to their consumers…..
….. the -VE multiplier effect here is that MWS will demand payment from its consumers in respect of the same contaminated water. Next culprit to be punished is MCM (if there will be any body to do that). Atleast we dont expect the current ECZ to punish any offender. Lastly, passive Zambians must know that there is always a cost to being passive. This is one of them. I sympathise with those that have been admitted, but if you interview 10 of them 8 will tell you MCM is there saviour afterall…
#17-19 You are off the mark, we are talking about MCM acid spillage in Mufulira not ifyo ifyabupuba watampa. Leave Prof Chirwa out of this topic plz!!!
Ltes keep to the topic here. It is the MCM pollution, not Chirwa or Kenya.
As long as politicians continue to interfere with the operations of the ECZ, such incidents will continue to happen and the culprits go un punished. i am sure the contamination was detected earliar but the MCM management sat on it. The Mufulira analytical services department carries water analysis at the water treatment plant on a regular basis(unless things have since i left) and their is no way a contamination this magnitude could have been missed.
As long as politicians continue to interfere with the operations of the ECZ, such incidents will continue to happen and the culprits go unpunished. i am sure the contamination was detected earliar but the MCM management sat on it. The Mufulira analytical services department carries water analysis at the water treatment plant on a regular basis(unless things have since i left) and their is no way a contamination this magnitude could have been missed.
PATRIOT
If you hate tribalism so much,why do support LPM`s family tree?Aren`t you showing signs of FLIP FLOPPING?
MUBENA LEVI BALAFWA SANI!
SANA!
as industry continues to grow in Zambia we have to pressure the Govt. to strengthen environmental protection and update the archaic laws.the ECZ/Bureau of Standards need a major boost to keep up with the increasing threats and incidents of pollution/environmental degradation.I hope the next sitting of Parliament look at this seriously BEFORE they discuss improving their own conditions of service!!
not too long ago a company was forced to pay $198million in damages for toxic contamination in the Ivory Coast!! Ten people died resulting from toxic waste contamination.I wonder how much our Govt. will demand in compensation for our brothers and sisters who have been affected in Mufulira?? In the case i have cited, the Vice President/shareholder of the company was detained until compensation was agreed and paid!!This is how serious other African countries are about these things!!
#25 and 26 Anonymous and King David
Thank you for your advice. We are looking forward to your enlightened contribution on the acid contamination of drinking water in Mufulira. We are waiting.
Fellow zedians, lets wake up!! Most of these so called investors have no regard or does not value zedians’ pipo lives. They are here only on a money making for themselves and their countries of origins, more especially chuchu’s best friends the chang cheng chings!!! 2011 CHASE
#35 Anonymous
I thought so I didn’t expect any better than these childish rantings
President Mwanawasa has appointed first Republican president, Kenneth Kaunda as special envoy to seek support for Zambian’s Dr.Inonge Mbikusita- Lewanika AU candidature.KK is since on a campaign trail from Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya and Algeria. Dr Kaunda started this mammoth task with Addis Ababa, the nerve centre for Africa and the Headquarters for African Diplomacy.
Dr Kaunda arrived in Addis Ababa on December 22 and was met on arrival at Bole International Airport by Zambian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Patrick Sinyinza, Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Vice Chief of Protocal Eshatu Yesema and other embassy senior officials. Dr Kaunda was accompanied by the AU candidate Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika who is currently Zambia’s Ambassador to United States of America, special envoy and coordinator of the AU Taskforce in the office of the vice-president Simataa Akapelwa and ot
….special envoy and coordinator of the AU Taskforce in the office of the vice-president Simataa Akapelwa and other senior Government officials.Dr Kaunda and his delegation had a meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. In his special message, Dr Kaunda told Mr Zenawi that Zambia’s AU candidate had considerable experience and that she had distinguished herself in many fields not only academically but in service.
Dr Kaunda said Ambassador Mbikusita Lewanika had performed well not only for Zambia but Africa as well through her role as promoter and advocate for the ideals of the AU and NEPAD in Africa and other parts of the world. He said her experience with the OAU since the 1970s; particularly in preparations of the Charter of the African Child and her general passion for African developmental issues makes Zambia feel that she is a suitable candidate for the AU Chair.
In response, Prime Minister Zenawi welcomed the message and said he was grateful for being consulted by the President of the Republic of Zambia especially that the message was delivered by such an eminent African, who had contributed so much to the OAU.
My family lived in Mufulira under MCM and RCM. Nothing of the sort ever happened because the mining was done by people who understood the profession and safety requirements and perhaps the laws and also the company’s social responsibility. You get some cheap mining company from America whose sole purpose is to make money out of Zambians and expect them to behave with professional virtue? Now if Cabbage doesnt teach them a lesson after this, they will know they can continue killing more Zambians
34 CITIZEN,
Stop waiting because I may not post anything. You see, it is not every topic that one should feel complelled to post. In this case I do not have enough data on the subject so I will keenly learn from those posting sense here. Otherwise I may end up posting rubbish on the subject, or even worse posting things unrelated like Chirwa or Kenya (could be even worse if I posted unrelated things that are nonsense).
I retract my last sentence. Cabbage wont do anything. Some Chinese Explosive firm killed more than 50 Zambians from negligence and they are still gleefully operating from Zambia. So all capitalists and trainee capitalists (from China) know they can get away with anything in the beloved country. Who will deliver us from these evil thieves?
#36 YOU FOOLISH!! quit & out
#43 King David
I dindnt expect you to post anything you are only at interjecting and making running commenteries. The subject at hand is to coplex for shallow minds such as you to comprehend and contribute.I am sure if it was a Sata or Chiluba issue you would have already found a mouth with which to speak.Spend your youth reading books it is the only way to widen your understanding of issues and secure your children’s future. Do not waste your youth chasing the wind
46 CITIZEN
If you knew me personally………
46 CITIZEN,
in your # 34 posting you said you are waiting for me to post, now you are saying you are not expecting me to post. are you feeling fine? I have just gone through all the posting here and *NONE* of them from you are about the MCM pollution, you make me laugh. So the sublject is also too complex for you, very funny.
Some people are moving into the higher brackets while the yapping here continues its impotence without gain.
Standard Chartered Bank appoints first Zambian CEO
STANDARD Chartered Bank Zambia Plc has appointed Mizinga Melu as managing director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the bank. Mrs Melu is the first Zambian to head the bank since its establishment in Zambia ……
The greatest effect is not what is being seen now but what will manifest in the long term . The contamination of water is only short term because of the continous rain the sitiuation will normalise, but it is the effect on the soil and plant produce that will continue to have telling effect. The leached soils will have to be treated and limed.MCM must be made to pay for long term effects such as deformities in new borns. A similar accident happened in Bhopal india and union carbide was made to
compensate victims whose effects where manifesting even after five years. Mulonga water must also pull up their socks and test the drinking water on a daily basis for pollutants.ZCCM USED TO DO IT
50,51 CITIZEN,
The effects you are talking about (Soil, Babies etc), depend on the compounds of the contamination. The levels of acidity in the water can be bad for human being but not neccessarily for soil. A full scientific report must be produced on this.
Envoy, that is good news though many are gunning for this position let support Lewanika. She is a hard working woman and she will deliver.
Now the MCM is worrying. How can we afford such misachieves happening? Its sad that drinking water can be contaminted with metals that cause death or life suffering. The ECZ should more to monitor these activities. GRZ must utilise such occurance to creat more jobs so that monitoring of such midiocre performance should be halten. The Mulenga Water…….
company must install warning signals which will help them detect any rise in chemicals in water they are supplying to the general public.
EASY
#54 Good point, i wish our engineers were a bit responsive. Here is an opportunity for them to stand up and be counted among their collegues from other countries, invent something mwebantu mwe. The problem is the only engineering they know is building and resurfacing roads.
My theory on the African political scene is that multi party politics cannot work in Africa right now because of Tribes. In my opinion, I believe that African people perform better under one party state systems than multi party systems. Whoever schemed to bring about multi party systems in African politics did so to keep us divided and weak. The pollution (MCM, KCM), tribal politics (Kenya et al.), elitism (trying to bar Prof Chirwa et al.) and nepotism (family tree) are all multi party fruits.
Pan-Africanist
#56 how is it that multipartsm isnt a problem for rich african natians e.g Botswana, Namibia etc.
The political system in Botswana is good but it’s not perfect. Example 1, Bots Gov’t decided to kick out Bushmen from some area after they discovered their area was laced with diamonds (tribal politics). The good thing about bots is the traditional system which keeps the politicians in check however those who are of different tribes (non Tswanas) feel marginalised under that same system (family tree).
One story I read about an old Zambian man (aged 87 this year) who had migrated to Bots to work in 1954 was denied state benefits as late as 2006 because he was not Tswana despite living in the country before both Zambia and rich Botswana got their independence. He was denied because he was not a Motswana (Tribalism) yet he had a Tswana wife who has since passed away and had children with her.
Iam missing ba kaundas days takwali fyama nonsense kwati water pollution by these companies.
Pan-Africanist
#58 What hope do we have then as africans? mass suicide?
#56 Pan-Africanist, I beg to differ with you when you say that multi-party politics are not suited to Africa. The problem with us Africans is that we seem to lack the will or ability to adapt systems to suit our particular situations. If we did, we would modify western democracy to suit us and at the same time protect the rights of our people. Even our education system is fast becoming irrelevant and obsolescent because no one spends time trying to adapt it to changing circumstances.
… cont’d from #56. The situation in Kenya is a direct result of that country’s failure to follow through with the constitution making process. When the proposed constitution was thrown out, they just sat back and left things to chance. May be the Westminster style system would be better in Africa because there isn’t too much riding on one man. In fact the opposition would have won in Kenya since they command parliament. Petitioning individual seats in court is also a lot easier.
57. mala – msana wandalama says: Jan 3rd, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Pan-Africanist
#56 how is it that multipartsm isnt a problem for rich african natians e.g Botswana, Namibia etc.
COMMENTS
And you call yourself coherent and educated?
I plan securing you a place at the Chibesa Kunda Kindergatten school in New Lusaka’s new Kasama. You need such a secluded place for concentrated elementary learning time.
57. mala – msana wandalama
I plan securing you a place at the Chibesa Kunda Kindergatten school in Lusaka’s new Kasama suburb. You need such a secluded place for concentrated elementary learning time.
Can someone please sue these greedy mining corporations? nchito brothers ….has your greed been quenced? get some money sue MCM?
# 52 King David
A simple inference is that when fields have been been fertilized for a long time especially nitrates the siol acidity increases making it prodice poor yeids.Lime has to be applied to the fields to neutralise the acidity. For water to reach the water table it has to seep through the soil which acts as a filtrate, the contamination is more with the siol than the water.we are in the rain season and in no time the water will clean itself, the problem is the soil .
#52 I am sure that you know that the mines mostly use salfuric acid in the metal tratment procces whose waste or residue is what must have contaminated the water.If you have lived in a mine area you must have noticed the slag dumps whose soil cannot sustain agriculture activity and people are warned to keep clear because of the harmful effects on human beings after a period of time.Think through and think longterm.
#52 Take a cue on what is happening in Kabwe regarding lead poisoning. When the mine was active only the immediate effects like the disintergration of teeth were being noticed and treated.Today it has been discovered that most people who lived within the vicinity of the mines have various degrees of lead poisoning. Most teenagers and youg adults have had their brains affected ECZ to gether witth ZCCM is only applying mitigation measures now. The long term effects manifesting are more severe
CITIZEN,
We do not have the exact nature of this poisoning yet. ECZ must give a report. If a man drinks a glass of diluted acid, it will affect him no doubt. But the same glass poured out onto soil will not only kill pests but may also be a fertiliser. Until ECZ have done a comprehesive study of the exact nature of the pollution, all we can do is hope for the best, as we wish the affected people quick recovery.We also need to put measures in place to ensure it does not happen again, but that is
way beyond Levy and his govt. (unfortunately). We also need reasable compernsation for the the victims.
Otherwise we will start quoting pollution examples from all over the world that may be close wo this one in any way.
64. PATRIOT, Buddy you are quarrelsome, am sorry i wont stoop to your level. This is the last time i will respond to your childish ranting.
800 pipo affected, this can be worse than the political unrest in Kenya if went unchecked. The GRZ must give a directive that the victims must be companseted. The police should move in and file a case with MCM for neglection. With technological standards today this should be the theme of the past. Water is life without it there is no life. Where are talking of pollution because it destroy life, this one destruction.
Isaac
70# King David
Salphuric acid in any concentration will not act as a fertilizer to the soil it will contaminate and lay it waste.
74 CITIZEN,
But we do not know the extent until a study has been undertaken.