Namulanga, Kasambo, Hamalundu, Chiyobeka Muntanga are villages in Siavonga District of Southern province in Chief Sinadambwe’s Chiefdom. GoviEx Uranium, a Canada-based mineral resource company focused on African uranium properties, which is also developing the Madaouela uranium project in Niger, is undertaking uranium mining in the Siavonga district. GoviEx Uranium acquired the Matunga project from Denison Mines in 2016.
The project threatens to displace 200 households. Explorations mining activities are done near peoples dwellings and near the streams, this threatening the health and safety of individuals. FIAN Zambia has undertaken preliminary documentation of the situation and has raised concerns to the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) on the pollution of the stream, unsecured mining waste, and unsecured drilling wells.
The threatened evictions and environmental rights violations due to uranium mining in the Muntanga area of Siavonga raise serious concerns about the protection of local communities and ecosystems. Balancing economic development with environmental conservation is crucial to ensure sustainable practices. It's essential to safeguard both human rights and the environment in such projects. For more insights on responsible development and environmental solutions, visit Telkom University