Confusion around safari hunting concession agreements costing government, communities – ZCRBA

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ZAMBIA Community Resources Board Association
(ZCRBA) Limited has urged government to hastily resolve the confusion that engulfs the cancellation of safari hunting concession agreements signed in 2020.
 
Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, ZCRBA president George Tembo lamented that the communities have lost K64 million for the past two years since the cancellation of the hunting licenses and risks losing more money if the problem is not settled.
 
Last year the High Court directed that the ministry of tourism permanent secretary Evans Muhanga acted in excess of his powers when he cancelled the safari hunting concession agreement against the advice of the attorney general.
 
The court condemned government to costs in the sum of K1 million in favor of Zambia Community Resources Board Association Limited and Mopane Safari limited.
 
Tembo said the State had equally incurred a loss as it has not made any profits as the first conversion for hunting outfitters had lapsed.
 
“2023 will mark the third year Zambia will not participate in hunting regardless that the government through the ministry of tourism has now set up the licensing committee – it will take them a long way for them to manage those tenders and the first conversion is already gone. Even if government starts re-tendering, even if the committee is set it is compelled to start afresh from square zero unfortunately this will mark the third year were the country will not hunt,” Tembo said.
 
“We are now anticipating more loss because most of the areas will not hunt because their hunting licenses expired. About 24 communities who were in the new tender, the 24 hunting blocks will have over $5 million that’s going to be lost if government doesn’t attend to this so quickly.”
 
He stressed that most big-game hunters that used to be patron Zambia are now aiding communities in other countries like Tanzania and Botswana where there is rationality.
 
Tembo noted the increased level of poaching was alarming and community scouts are seemingly not vigilant due to non payment as they are concentrating on other activities that can provide for their livelihood due to the crisis.
 
“Poaching is on the rise in South Luangwa area, Kafue and lower Zambezi will not be spared if we have 6000 cases in Kafue lower Zambezi will not be spared. There are high incedences of human-wild life conflicts because there are no people to control these animals. The community livelihoods have been ruined, there are no ammunitions in the areas how do people go for operations if they are not equipped? we are unable to plan like we used to do hence there’s a serious damage on the ground that wildlife is depleting rapidly,” He said.
 
“If the ministry continues making decisions in this manner we will have court matters throughout now and then and this can take the whole tenure of the new dawn government just fighting without hunting if they are not careful.”
 
He proposed that if Government cannot handle the matter, it should revert to the 2020 tender for the 19 hunting blocks which were suspended in order to quickly settle the matter.
 
Meanwhile Rodgers Lubilo who is the organization’s chairperson said it is infuriating for ministry of tourism permanent secretary Evans Muhanga to write letter to traditional leaders inciting the chiefs to stop associating with the ZCRBA.
 
Lubilo who accused Muhanga of blackmailing him and his colleague said it was impossible to have a community program without the input of chiefs no government officer should create divisions between them.
 
“As a community we would like to maintain a good relationship with the government, with all the stake holders but we are not going to be blackmailed, to hero worship when the government is doing wrong,” Lubilo charged.
 
“Our appeal is to our brother Muhanga we don’t personalize these national issues we speak to him because he holds public office. He’s a public officer who is responsible for managing the ministry of tourism. When you hold a public office you have to be sensitive to the needs of the sector that you have been given to manage.”
 
He indicated that the Community Resource Board will reclaim all the lost revenue on the behalf of the community from the ministry of tourism as it was evident that they will not gain from hunting for the remaining year.
 
Lubilo demanded that Muhanga and the minister of tourism be replaced with “competent individuals” because the duo had caused “more harm than good to the ministry”.
 
“Time will come when they will know that chiefs are very important people. We don’t want them to create a war between us and the chiefs no, never. I don’t think this government can succeed. We know the value of money from wildlife better than them and that’s why our interest when we see anybody who is in government who is trying to do something to the contrary we know that he’s doing against the will of the people,” he said.
 
“We told PF on December 8, 2016, we had similar issues, we told them listen to us we’re just poor people from the villages but we are lucky that we have elephants, lions on our land and that’s our wealth, that’s our pride. We told them if you’re not going to listen….the people of this country will decide whether to give you fresh mandate to preside. Even this government is not indespensable if they fail to do the right thing to save our world life we expect the president to act if he doesn’t act there’s no problem we will keep quiet time of reckoning will come when he will need the support of these people. If the others were replaced they can be replaced aswell.”
 
He counseled those entrusted with the responsibility to to govern to consider the interests of the masses by doing the right thing.
 
Lubilo urged government to ensure that the community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) policy is finalized so that it is implemented to assist government and communities and the natural resource sector.
 
“We are aware that there is a review of the wild life act that is going on we hope the process can be completed soon with progressive ideas not ideas that will attempt to weaken the the role of communities. We also note the poor financing in the wild life sector we call on stakeholders to see to it that officers who work for national parks, game guards that their conditions of service are improved,” said Lubilo.
 
Kalemba January 19, 2023
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