US health alert alarming – Mweetwa

By GIDEON NYENDWA

GOVERNMENT has described as alarming an alert by the United States of America (USA) to its citizens in Kitwe and surrounding areas to relocate following the acid pollution of the environment on the Copperbelt and has accused the US embassy in Zambia of creating unnecessary panic among Zambians and the international community.
Cornelius Mweetwa, the Chief Government Spokesperson says the alert by the US Embassy calling for the withdrawal of its citizens in Kitwe has the potential to create unnecessary panic and anxieties among Zambians.
Mr Mwetwa, who doubles as Minister of Information and Media has strongly condemned the US Embassy for issuing an alert over a matter the government had effectively dealt with and brought under control with no further risks.
This follows a health alert issued by the U.S. Embassy announcing the withdrawal of all American citizens from Kitwe and surrounding areas, citing dangerous levels of heavy metal contamination from the February tailings dam failure at Sino Metals Leach Zambia Limited in Chambishi.
Speaking at a joint press conference yesterday by the ministries of Information and Media, Green Economy and Environment as well as Water and Sanitation with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mweetwa said there was no need to “press the panic button” over the matter as it had been resolved with no further risks.
“There is no need to press a panic button (by the US Embassy) today. The situation is under control, and the water in the Kafue River is safe for consumption. Laboratory tests have shown that pH levels have returned to normal and concentrations of heavy metals are steadily decreasing. The immediate threat to human, animal, and plant life has been averted,” Mr Mweetwa said.
He said following the failure of tailings dam TD15F on February 18, 2025, which led to the spillage of approximately 50, 000 cubic metres of acidic slurry into the Chambishi Stream, Mwambashi, and Kafue rivers, Government launched an aggressive, multi-agency response that neutralized the danger and restored safety.
He revealed that over 200 water and sediment samples had been collected and analysed from affected areas far exceeding the minimal testing that critics and foreign entities may have relied on and of those, results for 37 samples have already been released, and the remaining 163 are undergoing testing by Alfred H. Knight, an independent laboratory in Kitwe.
Mr Mweetwa dismissed claims of carcinogenic risks and widespread contamination, highlighting that no deaths or serious illnesses have been linked to the pollution and only three suspected food or water-related illnesses were recorded in Ngabwe, with all patients fully recovering.
He said in response to the spill, Nkana Water Supply and Sanitation Company temporarily shut down its Bulangililo and Nkana East plants after detecting abnormal pH levels, preventing the distribution of contaminated water.
Mr Mweetwa said the plants resumed operations within days after water quality was restored. Since then, water monitoring has been ongoing and remains within national safety standards.
Meanwhile Mr Mweetwa has said Sino Metals has paid a K1.5 million fine, suspended operations, begun interim compensation for affected communities and started preparations for decommissioning the failed dam.
He urged the U.S. Embassy and other stakeholders to engage the government directly if in possession of any new information.