Samuel Mbewe
Lusaka -Ministry of Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba has disclosed that it is finalizing the renewed wildlife act to address the challenges that the wildlife sector is facing.
He said some of the major challenges include the low levels of man power in conservation, budgetary constraints and need for legislative reforms wildlife sector.
“Inadequate transport and field equipment, the low staffing levels, increase in human and wildlife conflict, encroachment in national parks and inadequate road infrastructure in road infrastructure in protected areas are some of the challenges the wildlife sector is facing, said the Minister.
Mr. Sikumba said working with stakeholders and Members of Parliament it is possible that some of these challenges can be resolved without involving the treasury.
He was speaking during the official opening of the Induction Seminar which has been organised to train and orient Members of Parliament, who are gazetted as Honorary Wildlife Police Officers on their roles and responsibilities.
The Minister said the members of parliament gazetted as honorary as Honorary Wildlife Police Officers will boost the Department of National Parks and Wildlife’s law enforcement.
Speaking at the same event, speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti has commended the Members of Parliament for their desire to serve as Honorary Wildlife Police Officers in a bid to combat the challenge of human-wildlife conflict, and other wildlife conservation issues.
“I would like to commend the Ministry for this gesture, as it demonstrates the Ministry’s desire to involve as many Honourable Members as possible in the fight against human-wildlife conflict, said the speaker of the National Assembly.
Ms. Mutti disclosed that the National Assembly of Zambia has placed capacity building programmes such as this one at the centre of its work.
She said this is as espoused in Strategic Objective 1.1 of the National Assembly Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which focuses on enhancing the capacity of Members of Parliament to discharge their parliamentary functions.
Ms. Mutti explained that in the same vein, the National Assembly Strategic Plan 2022-2026 has recognized environmental sustainability, as a cross-cutting issue, in light of climate change.
Meanwhile, Wildlife Crime and Prevention Chairperson Josayas Mungabwa said the Members of Parliament who were gazzeted is a major win in the fight against illegal wildlife trade.
He said the prevention of the wildlife has a significant social economic benefits and also observes that the eco- tourism which relies heavily on rich biodiversity, generates substantial revenue and provides livelihoods for countless citizens.
“To achieve this fit, it is critical to have environmentally friendly pieces of legislation in place. As WCP we happy to learn that the Ministry of Tourism is reviewing the wildlife Act and we are hopeful that your house will give this process the needed support, Mr. Mungabwa said.
He said in addition, investment in resources and capacity building of low enforcement agencies to conduct long term and financial investigations in illegal wildlife and timber trade is important in ensuring disruption of criminal networks, deterrence/ targeting corruption, and strengthening prosecutions.
