Zambia: Driven From Their Island, Zambian Fishermen Pay Price of Chinese Expansion

What the report says

Hundreds of fishermen from Jeremiah Island on Lake Kariba in southern Zambia say they were forced out in February 2023 and have been unable to return to their fishing grounds since, after the expansion of a Chinese-owned aquaculture business in the area. The report by Radio France Internationale, published via AllAfrica, says residents allege that police and soldiers removed them overnight, burned homes and property, and left them without compensation or a clear relocation plan. The fishermen say the eviction cut off their livelihoods and scattered families across the shoreline.

The article identifies the company as Zamfresh, part of the SunShare group, which operates large fish cages near the island and sells tilapia in Zambia, Zimbabwe and beyond. Community members and rights advocates quoted in the piece say local authorities gave the company effective priority over customary fishing access, including restrictions that keep fishermen far from the cages. They also allege repeated harassment when they tried to fish near the site. The company and the Siavonga District Council did not respond to the reporter’s questions, according to the article.

The story says the dispute has broader significance because it touches on land and water rights, the treatment of rural communities around foreign investment, and the balance between economic development and local livelihoods. RFI also notes that Zamfresh had previously faced regulatory action over hygiene, waste disposal and worker treatment, adding context to ongoing scrutiny of the company’s operations. This digest is based on the supplied report and is pending editorial review.