CEJ Urges Action on Serenje Manganese Poisoning Crisis
The Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) has strongly condemned the unsafe operations at the Southern Africa Ferro Alloys Limited (SAFAL) manganese plant in Serenje.
CEJ Executive Director Maggie Mwape revealed that 35 workers suffer from severe health problems, while 271 others face long-term risks from exposure to toxic chemicals.
She described SAFAL’s actions as careless, prioritizing profits over worker safety, which led to serious health issues like loss of balance, speech problems, tremors, and neurological damage.
Ms. Mwape demanded compensation for the victims, including medical treatment and support for those permanently disabled. She called for immediate cleanup of polluted areas and restoration of community health and livelihoods.
She urged the government to suspend SAFAL’s operations until safety rules are followed, ensure all workers get access to medical reports, and evacuate critically ill victims for specialized care.
CEJ’s Head of Programmes, Haggai Nyambe, warned that the organization would take legal action if authorities fail to act. Head of Research, Freeman Mubanga, expressed frustration, stating that despite efforts to engage the government, the victims continue to suffer without justice.
