Centre for Environment Justice has backed President Hakainde Hichilema’s stance on Bush fires when he declared the prolonged dry spell in the country as a National Disaster and Emergency.
CEJ Executive Director Maggie Mwape said the President’s statement must be taken seriously especially that it has been repeated by Green Economy and Environment Minister Collins Nzovu that burning a bush is a criminal offence.
Ms. Mwape said CEJ at its Environmental Protection Dialogue – EPD2023 Traditional Leaders Caucus discussed forest fires and called for regional dialogues.
She said CEJ is set to commerce the regional Traditional Leaders Dialogues starting with North Western this week, followed by Northern, Luapula and the rest of the Country as a build up to the 2024 Traditional Leaders Caucus at the EPD2024.
Ms. Mwape said according to Zambia’s Constitution, burning of forests, grasslands, rangelands and bushlands is punishable by law.
Ms. Mwape further urged Government to enforce the law by ensuring that anyone found outside the law by starting fires in fields, grasslands, forests, bushlands, rangelands, valleys, and swamps, faces punishment as enshrined in Zambia’s Constitution.