GOVERNMENT REAFFIRMS DISASTER RESPONSE COMMITMENT IN MUMBWA AMID ENVIRONMENTAL, MINING THREATS
Government has reiterated its commitment to addressing environmental and disaster-related challenges in Mumbwa District, Central Province, with a focus on mitigating the impact of mining activities, deforestation, and climate-induced hazards.
District Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) Coordinator Precedence Mweemba stated that Mumbwa is facing a range of disasters, including toxic waste from mining operations, deforestation resulting from charcoal production, and water contamination that has led to livestock deaths and fish mortality.
She noted that the district has experienced a surge in open-pit mining and forest clearing, which contributes to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increased vulnerability to floods and droughts.
Ms Mweemba highlighted that the government, in collaboration with stakeholders such as the Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ), We Effect, and ChildFund, has intensified community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) training to build local resilience and promote hazard mapping in vulnerable areas.
She added that functional satellite disaster committees are active across Mumbwa, equipped with knowledge and tools to identify disaster hotspots, coordinate early warning systems, and engage stakeholders in proactive risk reduction.
Ms Mweemba also recalled the 2020–2021 floods in Menengo area, where the government provided land, iron sheets, and cement to relocate affected families, although some residents later returned to flood-prone zones.
She emphasised the importance of shifting from reactive to preventive disaster management, encouraging communities to report early warning signs such as structural cracks and to embrace coordinated planning.
The DMMU continues to work closely with local authorities, traditional leaders, and civil society to ensure effective disaster preparedness and response, supported by training from the Office of the Vice President and other partners.
This came to light during a dialogue on environmental rights organised by the Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ), with support from Norwegian Church Aid and Danish Church Aid through their Joint Country Programme.
The high-level engagement on environmental rights advocacy attracted Members of Parliament, government officials, traditional leaders, civil society partners, private sector representatives, and community environmental monitors.
Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) is implementing the LIFT Zambia Project in Luapula and Central provinces, specifically in Milenge, Chifunabuli, and Mumbwa districts.
Under the LIFT Zambia project, CEJ aims to empower communities with knowledge and practical tools to create measurable outcomes, such as increased access to public finances, fighting inequality and injustices including early child marriages, and protecting our environment.
The LIFT-Zambia Programme, a five-year development partnership led by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Danish Church Aid (DCA), with support from NORAD and DANIDA.
The programme—Lives Saved, Inequality Addressed, and Fostering Resilience for Transformation in Zambia—is being implemented under the Joint Country Programme of NCA and DCA, with funding and technical support from their partners.
The programme is anchored on the belief that lasting social change is possible when civil society is strengthened and communities are empowered to drive their own development.
Through LIFT Zambia, they aim to address priorities like saving lives and building resilience by enhancing community preparedness for climate change impacts, strengthening sustainable agriculture, and improving access to social protection.
The project is also addressing inequality by ensuring that women, youth, and marginalised groups have equal opportunities to participate in governance and development.
It is fostering sustainable transformation by promoting community-led solutions that generate economic, social, and environmental benefits.
