Government has directed Sino Metals Leach Zambia to cover all costs associated with restoring the Kafue River following a pollution incident caused by the company’s operations.
This includes rehabilitating affected areas and compensating for the loss of aquatic life, including fish.
The pollution occurred on February 18, 2025, after the failure of one of Sino Metals’ tailings dams, identified as TD 15F.
Delivering a Ministerial Statement in the National Assembly today, Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Mike Mposha, stated that before any remedial actions are taken, experts will conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine the extent of the damage, which will guide the compensation and restoration efforts.
Mr. Mposha emphasized that the incident highlights the critical need for strict environmental compliance and safety measures in the mining sector and beyond.
“While emergency response efforts will help mitigate the immediate impact, the medium- and long-term solution is to ensure that Sino Metals Leach Zambia is held responsible for cleaning up the pollution they have discharged into the environment,” said Mr. Mposha.
Meanwhile, the minister dismissed reports that a director of Sino Metals had been arrested, clarifying that before any legal action is taken, the government must first establish the full extent of the damage.
By Christabel Kamunu
