PETITION TO THE MINISTRY OF GREEN ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT, MINISTRY OF MINES, ZAMBIA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND STATE HOUSE TO STOP THE MINING SCHEDULED TO COMMENCE IN THE LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK

 

The history of the planned mining project in Lower Zambezi National Park is well known and is in the public domain. Since the year 2010 various environmental organizations and concerned citizens interested in the protection of the Lower Zambezi National Park have spoken and sought to defend this pristine natural ecosystem from any commercial and mining interests. We have been aware of the ruling that was given in the Ndola High Court last year, 2021, that gave way to the mining project to proceed. However, the ruling in the said high court did not address with the substantive issues of whether the project was appropriate being cognizant of the fact that the proposed project site is a trans-frontier ecologically sensitive and protected area as it lies in proximity to a National Park.

The election into power of the New Dawn Government under the UPND and subsequent creation of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment gave us confidence and renewed hope that preservation of this vital sensitive ecosystem and ecological wealth as a tourism treasure would be secured.

However, the events of the last forty-eight (48) hours which have culminated into the official release of a comprehensive press statement in defense of the mining project to go ahead by the Minister of Green Economy and Environment has given us the impetus to appeal to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, as the executive head of Government to intervene in this ill intended decision. We are convinced that the original rejection of the project by ZEMA based on a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment was based on the best interest not only for the wildlife habitat but for the entire ecosystem with specific emphasis to the fact that the area is the national heritage for all Zambians. Suffice to say, that any further approval given occurred with undue pressure from other stakeholders with vested interests.

In the interest of the people of Zambia we would like to ask that ZEMA be transparent and avail their initial Environmental Impact Assessment to the public as well as hold a stakeholder meeting before making these decisions on behalf of the Zambian people. Zambia belongs to the people and not the entity!

We believe that the Office of the President being the highest office in the land of the Government of the Republic of Zambia will make an executive decision to revisit the decision and disapprove the decision for mining to proceed in the Lower Zambezi as is the mandate of the said office to defend and preserve this protected area in posterity for all Zambians and generations to come.

The fight to preserve our national parks is a historical battle As our founding father's First Republican President Dr David Kenneth Kaunda stated in his speech on Lower Zambezi National Park on the 30th October 2019: 'more needs to be done to re-build robust community based resources management structures that involve and benefit every man, woman and child'. He further stated 'Our people have a deep history and knowledge of managing their natural resources sustainably, perhaps better than anywhere else in the world'.

We implore you to please sign this petition in order to have your voice count for submission to the Head of State for immediate consideration. Stand and Sing for Zambia, Proud and Free! Make a stand and together we shall save the Lower Zambezi National Park.

Let’s all make a stand and save the Lower Zambezi National Park.

#SavetheLowerZambeziRiver

#NoMininginLowerZambeziRiver 

  

Namfumu Conservation Trust

Mizu Eco-Care 

Healing Tree of the Nations

Centre for Zero Waste and Development in Africa