The High Court of Zambia has ruled that the controversial Kangaluwi open-cast copper mine project will go ahead in the heart of the Lower Zambezi National park.
This was after the court dismissed the appeal against the mine on a legal technicality because the initial legal team that fought the case five years ago failed to file a record of appeal.
The site of the mine is between two seasonal rivers which flow directly into the Zambezi River.
The mine’s tailings dams will be located just a few hundred metres above the valley floor, next to these rivers.
The risk of pollution and collateral damage to the environment is high, as is the impact the mine will have on the wildlife in the area.
The licence for the mine is held by Mwembeshi Resources Ltd, but it is still unclear where its owners, Grand Resources Ltd, are based.
They are registered in Dubai but suspicions are rife that they are Chinese owned.
Unless an appeal is lodged quickly, the mine company will move onto the site and begin the work of clearing it.
The Lower Zambezi National Park is one of tourism’s major economic contributors and the lodges in and around the park employ hundreds of local people, supporting thousands more in the communities on its periphery.
The mine threatens this thriving tourism economy and the livelihoods of everyone involved in tourism in the Lower Zambezi Valley.
It also threatens to derail Zambia’s recently unveiled tourism growth strategy which hinges on the country’s commitment to protecting its wilderness areas.
The Lower Zambezi National Park sits directly opposite Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Attached: High court ruling on Kangaluwi Mine
Who is the this fulishi judge? Identify him and let concerned people go and demonstrate at his office and home. What a fukcuped country!!!!
Despicable. This matter should ho all the way to the Supreme Court.
PF you have got it SO WRONG !!
This is such a beautiful place and you will kill the tourism industry by driving all the animals away.
KK International Airport is nearing to completion and we need to boost Tourism in Zambia by having such places reserved.
Please appeal to the highest court.
Before they even waste their investment, let them not start any work on site. There is no way the Australian government can allow anyone to destroy their biodiversity.
GRZ, what’s wrong with you??
Please engage the GREENPEACE to help fight this big battle of damaging the Zambian biodiversity by foreign entities.
Someone needs to appeal this now.These are the things LAZ should be fighting, plus the opposition, but no. They only care about power and stealing too.
No one in Zambia can stop lungu and his gang…….they need money to loot and stay in power, everything is on the table for sale in Zambia.
Only international conservationists and UNESCO can stop lungu and his gang from selling our animals and game parks by threatening international tourist boycotts ……
Such short decisions just boggle the mind. Our existing mines are failing to add any discernable value, yet what to start a new one while destroying a definite long term asset! Let that decision be appealed immediately…
COMPRISED ZAMBIAN BELLY CADRE JUDICIARY @ IT AGAIN, WITH 30 PIECES OF SILVER IN BROWN ENVELOPES!!
Zambia under Dr Chakolwa Lungu has turned into Zaire, where the top few – (Government Officials) make dodgy decisions that only benefit the PF officials, & NOT THE NATION!
This mining will be an ecological disaster, the local people, flora & fauna will be poisoned, & large holes left in the ground, whilst Mercury & other toxins will be dumped into the water systems all for Foreign business owners to be Billionaires.
If you think I’m just anti development, LOOK @ KABWE, THE MOST POLLUTED TOWN ON THE PLANET, WITH MEGA HOLES IN THE GROUND, BILLIONS WERE MADE FROM LEAD MINING, BUT SHOW ME ONE MILLIONAIRE, OR BILLIONAIRE WHO IS INDEGINOUS ZAMBIAN TO HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF…
Zambian judiciary system is finished.
continued;
TO HAVE FROM THE DESTRUCTION & POLLUTION OF KABWE??
I would not support mining in this area there is too much mining in Zambia better we allow other industries also to flourish you cannot just put all eggs in one basket, tourism needs to be promoted in places you have seen any potential if at the level it is , better you don’t disturb this industry rather complement it, Zambia should not just be about mining, this mining thing is not so good for Zambia it has only been about controversies all the way through.
We have been warning you that broke lungu and his gang need money to loot, and the last remaining assets Zambia has are the game parks and animals within….
This gang lead by lungu will stop at nothing to sell everything Zambia has.
They have started vadalising and looting reserve forests among themselves and now animals while they are getting ready to sell game parks for mining or private ownership…..
Zambia is just an extraction destination- this latest outrage confirms it. Despite words it will never be able to develop real manufacturing high end tourism attraction of high quality immigrants etc etc. A big salute to the voters who brought this disaster on Zambia.
Mining is a non renewable source of income because once all the minerals are depleted there will be nothing to show for it except desolate land with a big hole in the ground. A total ecological disaster which will be useless for farming, water resource, wildlife or any other activity. Tourism on the other hand as long as managed properly will keep on bringing an income for generations to come without any adverse effect on the environment.
On lungu and his gang destroying game parks for mining , only international conservationists and wildlife exparts can put pressure on lungu to stop this destruction by threatening international tourists boycotts…..
No one and nothing in Zambia can stop this gang of lungus and their thirst for easy money at all costs
Hmm how will they bring the water required to the mine? There must be something else there than low grade copper ore to justify such an expense
Too little too late. Football mosi arbitrary public holiday’s and so called malls have succeeded in distracting Zambian public into a false sense of security. Be ready for Zimbabwe style collapse.
After all these are “twins”. No amount of praying repenting etc shall rectify a bankrupt income statement for the next 3 to 5 Decades. Sorry but predatory loans whether from China IMF World Bank Japan Saudi Barbaria etc etc will never solve this country’s trajectory set by what was voted in. House rule in most normal households is “live within your means” don’t try and punch above your weight” etc etc. Do we need an airline when cars buses etc have never been mastered. Do we need dual carriage ways with culverts bridges etc when average speeds have DECREASED. Do we need nuclear power when HEP…
This is ridiculous, Mines just leave us holes in the ground they don’t pay tax due to tax avoidance and are subsidized for the bulk of the countries electricity usage. We are even duped in paying them back VAT which is money that should be coming to us as Tax. What possible benefit then is it for Zambia to destroy its environment and natural game habit in exchange for nothing. Everywhere in the world people are fighting to protect their environment for future generations and we are not using our common sense to protect our own. This must not happen.
these mofos don’t care about nothing but lining their pockets with money. they’ve infiltrated the judicial system, it’s scary what’s happening in Zambia.
if citizens attempt to demonstrate, the f u ckin cops with their faces covered move in with so much force you’d think they are not even Zambians
the problem is that with very few jobs, the local people will be given menial jobs and such, driving heavy duty trucks and such and will be siding with whatever firm will start stripping mother land naked. that’s how they’ve manipulated the Zambians. I don’t blame the locals, they need to put food on the table and send children to schools as well.
I wonder who’s behind the opposition to this and what tools and help they have against the pf ba ko swe
@Keleni at 4, Ate you saying we do not welcome mining investment from Outside Zambia or no 8nvestnent?
Can HH, GBM, Mathani join hands and invest strategically?
go ahead mine, how much are Zambian paid at the lodges … where are the lions that were in Europe…gone.. Paris is the world number one tourist destination…no lions or elephants there… Taj Maha is not close to Victoria falls in majesty … but has over 100,000 tourists visitors a day. Just mine sustainably. We need to start adding value to our selves and not just listen to green lies.Its natures law as people increase wild animals diminish and the the other way… my opinion
Shawn, people go to paris and the Taj to see 100s of years of history and culture. Are you saying killing the wildlife and destroying the tourism will see benefit for Zambia today? Your reason would only make sense if Zambia build a unique city of art and culture on the banks of the zambezi river (in place of the national park) then wait 100s of years for this city to become interesting enough for anyone to want to come visit. If Europe had saved some of its wildlife areas and kept some of its lions in the wild, then people would still visit Paris and then go spend time in the national parks. Much like they do in South Africa with Cape Town and the Kruger Park. Maybe Lusaka should get a bit more interesting to visit before you go building your Taj on the Zambezi, or Eiffel Tower in Kafue…
Copper is non renewable resource we have been mining since before independence. Look at kabwe and luanshya for example do we need to keep adding more towns being ruined. Solwezi has been at the heart recently what meaningful development can you point at as a benefit of having a mine in the area soon it will be like kabwe or luanshya. Don’t target national parks for such undertakings there are other places they can explore to set up that mine. No building in forests, and no mining in the national park and can you please take those stolen 80 animals back where they belong right away.
We should be talking about planting trees and serving our animals. Batata we can suffer for a few more years but we cant kill the future twapapata please
We have ghosts as leaders and judges
OFFSHORE LEAKS DATABASE ; ALERT :
by The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists : says Mwembeshi Resources LTD ,which is a global Fraudulent, Corrupted, Racketeering and Money Laundering engine that Bribes officials especially of poor countries globally this time in ( ZAMBIA ) ,yet still under investigations from the Paradise Papers Scandal ,Linked to countless environmental lawsuits and fictional Board Members : Leaves us to Question which ZAMBIAN OFFICIALS were involved in the whole Bribed & Corrupt Process to let such a Foreign Entity to come and Loot ,Pollute , Destroy the Environment ,Fresh Water Ways and Wildlife of a World Heritage Program ,The very own Tourism of the whole SADC ,without proper scrutiny and a National Debate yet still not pay Cooperate Tax so…
Corruption!!!
Such a shame. A beautiful place a stunning game park. Will be a major loss to.our much needed tourism. The animals what happens to them? Mining they use all kinds of poisonous chemicals. That will infiltrate into the water. Animals big and small, birds will drink and die
Jesus, these corrupt people, Australia will never allow such to happen in their own country. Where to next? Any lawyers here?
Were is HH let him stop this just like what he did on zafico
To destroy this natural asset is short sighted and foolish. Only a foreign power will gain in the long run. Zambia, keep your wild life and natural beauty for yourselves. Make money from temporary tourists, not international magnets who are already wealthy.