Almost half of the over 2000 victims of the 2015 pollution case blamed on Konkola Copper Mines in Chingola have started receiving compensation packages from mine owners Vedanta Mineral Resources.
The claimants are receiving compensation between K50 000 and K40 000after the matter was settled out of court earlier in January this year.
Those receiving belong to the southern part of the area affected by the pollution. These include Shimulala, Hellen, and Hippo Pool and were represented by United Kingdom based law firm Leigh Day.
Those from the northern part that comprise of Fitobaula, Fikolongo and Kamuchanga are yet to be compensated because the law firm representing them Hausfeld is yet to conclude out of court settlement talks with Vedanta.
The victims of pollution, who are mostly peasant farmers, in 2015 alleged that sulphuric acid discharged from Konkola Copper Mines’ Nchanga operations had poisoned water sources and destroyed their farmland.
The claimants took the matter to the Zambian High Court where judges attempted to award them K2000 as compensation but later registered the case in the London Courts with the help of United Kingdom law firms Leigh Day and Hausfeld on pro-bono.
The farmers feel no amount of money will be adequate to pay for the damage caused by the pollution that includes destruction of farming fields.
“The money looks little but it is good that the World has heard there are people who fought a good cause,” said 71 year old vegetable framer John Chinyimba of Kabundi.
“People with responsibility must help us to preserve water sources and the environment from pollution. This river (Kafue Rivers) is not for an individual but for everyone,” Mr Chinyimba added
The farmers have thanked the two law firms and local people who played a key role in taking the pollution case to the United Kingdom Supreme Court such as activist Chilekwa Mumba.
“God should bless the law firms from the United Kingdom. I am thanking people we worked with in this case. Mr Chilekwa Mumba used to leave his family in Lusaka to help us here in Chingola. May God bless Mr Mumba,” said 61 year old framer Luckson Chabinga.
What are you talking about? K50 as compasation?
The law is beautiful because it offers protection to the vulnerable and poor against bigger forces. We as government welcomed this ruling and think it is a lesson learned for all mining companies
From 2015 you receive 50 or 40 kwacha ? Jokes
“receiving compensation between K50 and K40 after the matter was settled out of court earlier in January this year.”
Is this a joke?
Who agreed for an out of court settlement? I would like to see if the lawyers were paid…
Tarino are you saying the courts and lawyers from your UK who you praise and worship, are actually useless? When we tell you that there is nothing special about being abroad and cleaning toilets you always get into a hissy fit. You are a f00lish boy.
“The claimants are receiving compensation between K50 and K40 after the matter was settled out of court earlier in January this year.”??
It’s actually 40 000 to 50 000 kwacha
It’s supposed to be k40 pin to k50 pin . U know ba LT behave in most of their posts, forgive them
You should try your best not to take ANYTHING trolls say seriously. NO matter how POORLY they behave, remember these people spend countless UNPRODUCTIVE hours trying to make people mad. They’re not WORTH your time of day.
All this pollution and cheating “compensation” is happening under the dirty,incompetent and corrupt PF leadership.PF in bed with Vendanta cheating on his Zambian wife.
Very sad that white people in faraway Europe have to protest on behalf of poor Zambians bcoz PF has abandoned them.
Because of elections you are now listening to the cry of the people after elections you will dump them again Zambian politics very useless.
Because of elections you are now listening to the cry of the people after elections you will dump them again Zambian politics very useless.
Even 40 pin is nothing these days.
I bet the lawyers took the largest share, as is often the case.
Foreigners think poor citizen lives do not matter.
Our leaders think the lives of poor citizens do not matter.
So either way, the poor citizen is well and truly fukced.
It’s K40,000 or K50,000 but that was before the Kwacha was rebased – so it’s K40 or K50 now
What is K50,000 which is equivalent to K50. One cannot even built a small toilet from this amount. Very sad.!