Kanchibiya River pollution linked to gold mining, MP demands ZEMA action

Kanchibiya River in Muchinga Province has reportedly been polluted, attributed largely to upstream gold mining activities in Kanchibiya District.

Kanchibiya Constituency lawmaker Sunday Chanda raised concern over the deteriorating state of the River, calling the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) to immediately investigate the source and extent of the pollution.

Chanda in a statement issued in Kanchibiya District of Michinga Province on Tuesday called on ZEMA to immediately take appropriate enforcement actions.

He said the alarming development threatened not only the ecological balance of the district but the very livelihoods and health of the people who depend on the river.

“The Kanchibiya River is a lifeline for thousands of residents. It is used daily for bathing, drinking, livestock, gardening, and small-scale farming,” Chanda said.

He called on the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development to review all mining licenses and operations within the watershed feeding into the Kanchibiya River.

Chanda advised that the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation, in conjunction with local authorities, should also assess the impact on communities and provide interim safe water alternatives.

“The degradation of this water source places entire communities at risk from waterborne diseases to the collapse of subsistence agriculture and livestock activities,” he said.

Chanda urged all stakeholders, including traditional leadership and civil society organisations, to speak with one voice in defence of the natural resources and people.

He alleged that the damage was originating from mining activities at the river’s source, stating that the pursuit of mineral wealth cannot come at the expense of human life, dignity, and the environment.

“We must ensure that all mining operations, whether legal or illegal, are subject to stringent environmental oversight and community consultation,” Chanda said.

He expressed commitment, as Member of Parliament for Kanchibiya, to protecting the environmental integrity of the district and promised to raise the matter in the relevant parliamentary platforms and ensure that both local and national authorities were held accountable for addressing it.

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