SADC SHOULD INTERVENE IN LOWER ZAMBEZI MINING PROJECT, SAYS CHIEF CHUNDU
THE controversial Kangaluwi Mine in Zambezi lower National Park should be referred to SADC for deliberation and fi nal decision on whether the Mine oper ation should go ahead, Chief Chundu of Zimbabwe has charged.
Chief Chundu who is one the of the tra ditional leaders advocating for the can cellation of the Mine license said the Kan galuwi project will set a bad precedent for the future development of the mining sector in Zambia, and the first which in volves a foreign-owned company, to de velop a large-scale mining project inside a national park.
He said if not stopped immediately, the mine will have a potentially devastating impact on people, water, the land and the environment in the entire Southern Afri can region.
Chief Chundu said since the contro versial mine project will not only affect Zambia but the entire Southern African Region, SADC should get involved and stop the project.
He cautioned Zambia against falling for short time benefits but instead allow the tourism sector to flourish in the region.
Recently, Senior Chief Mburuma and chief Mpuka of Luangwa in whose area the Mine project will be carried out warned Civil Society Organisation and Lodge owners against opposing the es tablishment of the Mine in the Zambezi lower National Park, saying the tourism being talked about has not helped allevi ate poverty for their people.
Last year, a final appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed in a judgement delivered by Justice Ngulube in February 2021, possibly marking the end of any legal challenges open to those looking to stop the mining operations, however, opponents say that the judge dismissed the case based on legal technicalities and ignored public interest.