By Namo Chuma and Juliane KippenbergNatalie Chilikwela is done with talking. The 18-year-old has experienced the harmful impacts of toxic lead contamination in her hometown of Kabwe her whole life and has listened to many promises from politicians – but nothing much has changed. As part of a youth group, the Kabwe Environment Youth Network, she has raised awareness among Kabwe’s communities about the dangers of lead, and called upon officials to provide medical treatment and to clean up the toxic mine waste that is causing the problem. “Now,” she says, “We are done talking. We want to see action.”Kabwe is one of the world’s worst pollution hotspots because of contamination from a former lead and zinc mine. The mine began operating during the British colonial period, was later nationalized, and was closed in 1994. But neither the responsible companies nor the government ever cleaned up the mine’s toxic waste. As a result, lead dust […]
Zambia’s ‘Green Kabwe’ Plan Should Prioritize Mine Cleanup
