Kalusale village: Difference between revisions

Kalusale is largely agrarian, with residents cultivating maize, groundnuts, vegetables, and other subsistence crops. Local farmers rely on rain-fed and stream-fed agriculture for their livelihoods.

On 18 February 2025, a tailings dam belonging to Sino Metals Mine in Chambishi ruptured, releasing acidic effluent into the Mwambashi stream and downstream Kafue River. The spill severely damaged farmland in Kalusale, destroying crops and contaminating domestic water sources.

The Socialist Party’s Copperbelt spokesperson, Reagan Kashinga, called on the government and the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) to intervene, demanding lifelong compensation for affected farmers. He highlighted that the contaminated soil may no longer support agriculture.<ref>Government Must Take Responsibility of Pollution of Mwambashi Stream and Kafue River, Lusaka Times, 24 February 2025</ref>

Nkana Water and the Kalulushi District Commissioner, Kelly Jibinga, responded by providing water bowsers and initiating cleanup efforts. Water quality tests began monitoring pH and heavy-metal levels to ensure they returned to the recommended 6.5–8 range.<ref>Clearance Of Mwambashi Dam Pollution Progresses, Zambia News and Information Services, 23 February 2025</ref>

A district-level committee was established to register affected farmers and coordinate relief efforts. Although pH levels in the Mwambashi stream have improved, heavy metal concentrations—such as copper, manganese, and zinc—remain a concern.<ref>Clearance Of Mwambashi Dam Pollution Progresses, Lusaka Times, 24 February 2025</ref>

[[Category:Populated places in Copperbelt Province]]