Ten Dead in a Week as Disease Fears Grip Serenje Mining Camp

Local authorities suspect poor sanitation rather than industrial pollution may be behind the deaths at Musangashi Ward, where thousands live near precious stone mining operations.

Serenje Council Chairperson Staivous Mulumba told the press he received alarming reports from area councillor Venon Chibuye about the deaths, which occurred rapidly over several days.

"In the space of one week, they recorded about eight deaths around 06:00 hours," Mr Mulumba said. "But after one hour, he called back again to inform me that another person had died. That made nine."

Within two hours, a tenth death was reported, prompting Mr Mulumba to mobilise a medical team for immediate investigation.

Residents have complained of stomach pains and diarrhoea, with multiple deaths occurring within the same compound, raising concerns about a possible disease outbreak.

The settlement has grown around precious stone mining sites, with Chinese-operated machinery working across multiple locations. However, Mr Mulumba emphasised that the mining operations differ from those that typically cause water contamination.

"The miners are just digging trenches for precious stones," he explained. "There are no washing plants or similar facilities that would cause water pollution."

Instead, authorities point to dire living conditions as the likely culprit.

"There are many people living in the area, and they do not have access to clean water. Sanitation is very poor, and there are no toilets," Mr Mulumba said.

The council has requested the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) to conduct its own inspection of the area.

Mr Mulumba suggested that deaths at the site may have gone unreported in the past, as miners fear closure of operations, much of which is illegal.

"Usually, people do not disclose this information because they fear that their mines might be closed," he said. "Mostly, they hide such information."