The Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) has made strides in preparations for declaring the Upper Luangwa River as a Water Resource Protection Area (WRPA).
The Authority is in Muchinga Province to engage various stakeholders, including the Provincial Administration, traditional leaders, and local communities of the Upper Luangwa, to emphasize the importance of protecting the Luangwa River’s source.
Speaking when she paid a courtesy on Muchinga Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Matthews Chilekwa, WARMA Acting Director General, Misozi Lumpa, called on the Provincial leadership to join efforts in protecting the source of the Luangwa River.
Mrs. Lumpa expressed concern that the Luangwa River source area is being affected by land and forest degradation due to sand mining, agriculture, and other human activities, which are impacting water quality, flow, and the river’s lifespan.
She noted that the upper Luangwa catchment needs to be protected, as Luangwa River is a vital source of water for irrigation, agriculture, and household use in the downstream area of the catchment.
Mrs. Lumpa highlighted that the Luangwa River stands out as one of the last major free-flowing rivers in Zambia and is among the largest and longest unaltered river systems in Southern Africa.
By Eva Hatontola
