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Zambian environmental activist, Chilekwa Mumba, has been awarded the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize in the Africa category.
The event held in Washington DC, USA.
The Goldman Environmental Prize is the World’s foremost award for grassroots environmental activity.
Of the world’s six inhabited continental regions, Mumba scooped the award under the Africa category.
The award was presented at the Eisenhower Theater at the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington DC on Wednesday.
Mumba is a community organizer based in Chingola in the Copperbelt Province.
In 2018 thereabout,Chilekwa led a group of community members in Chingola and successfully sued and won the case in the London high court on behalf of the community against Vedanta Resources, which was then running Konkola Copper Mine.
The Indian miner then was accused of polluting the Mushishima stream in the mining town Chingola.
In reaction to the award, Mumba said mining companies should take the interest of the communities in addressing environmental issues.
“Zambia is a mining country with a lot of investments in the sector. This investment should also come to protect our communities by
protecting the environment. It is good that the efforts of protecting the environment in Zambia are appreciated the world over,” he said.
Read more : Government earmarks Mulembo local forest for carbon trading
Mumba said environmental degradation is a serious challenge that needs concerted efforts from all stakeholders.
“This award has put Zambia on the world map. This is a great achievement for Zambia. It is Zambia that has won,” Mumba said.
Meanwhile, Save the Environment and People’s Agency (SEPA) Executive Director, Mailes Muke, said Mumba’s achievement is assuring for
organizations championing environmental issues in the country.
“As a local NGO based in Zambezi District and working in environment, we are delighted with this achievement won by a community organizer
based in Chingola in the Copperbelt Province, especially that Chingola has a lot of environmental issues,” Muke said.
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