Maravi

Munkombwes behaviour is shameful, says Chizhyuka

Munkombwes behaviour is shameful, says Chizhyuka
Written by Post Reporter
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:14:55 AM

NAMWALA UPND member of parliament Major Robbie Chizhyuka yesterday said Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe’s behaviour over the recent forced evacuation of 8,500 settlers from Sichifulo game management area (GMA) in Kazungula is shameful. But chief Nyawa has warned UPND MPs in Southern Province to “mind their own business” instead of interfering with the Sichifulo GMA.

Commenting on tourism and environment minister Catherine Namugala’s justification of the forced evacuation of the villagers in a ministerial statement delivered before Parliament recently, Maj Chizhyuka said the displacement of the Sichifulo settlers was a rape on their human existence.

Several UPND parliamentarians last week walked out from the chamber at Parliament following Namugala’s sentiments that Sichifulo GMA settlers had been evacuated to pave way for game safari hunting and photographic tourism.

Major Chizhyuka, who was sent out of the House for about 10 minutes for exhibiting unruly conduct before the walkout, said the issue would be taken to the highest level of government leadership.

He said Sichifulo settlers’ humanity, self-esteem and egos had been eroded beyond redemption.

“We are demanding that those people should be reinstated and there should be compensation for the inconvenience,” he said.

“The legal position with regard to the GMA Act number 12 of 1998 allows for co-management of wildlife resources in the GMA with local communities. Therefore, chiefs Siachitema and Nyawa who allocated that land to those settlers in that GMA were legally correct to allocate that land, because it is in accordance with the law.”

But Munkombwe said there would be no change of heart from the government on the matter.

“There is nobody in Sichifulo; it is peaceful now and I do not know what they (UPND parliamentarians) are talking about,” said Munkombwe.

However, Maj Chizhyuka said Munkombwe was a shameful man.

Maj Chizhyuka said when Munkombwe submitted as witness 102 before the Sakala Southern Province Land Inquiry Commission of 1982, in his capacity as member of parliament for Choma Central, he had asked the government to give more land to the southerners.

“Now that he is a minister, he is in the forefront to displace the same people he defended. If Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, Mungoni Liso, Munukayumbwa Sipalo woke up, I do not think Munkombwe would look them in the face,” said Maj Chizhyuka. “Munkombwe can’t be an advocate in the displacement of his own people. He is such a shame.”

And speaking when three Southern Province chiefs met with Munkombwe yesterday, chief Nyawa said it was surprising that MPs who were lawmakers were advocating that the law to be broken instead of calling for the repealing of a law that protects GMAs.

“The Sichifulo Game Management Area was created in 1941 and it shocks me that lawmakers can parade themselves on national television calling for the breaking of law instead of repealing it first. The people who encroached on Sichifulo came without consulting the government of the day and us as chiefs, they were ex-convicts, cattle wrestlers and prison escapees; they are not farmers. The MPs should mind their own business and concentrate on their constituencies,” said chief Nyawa.

Meanwhile, Kalomo member of parliament Request Muntanga accused Munkombwe of coercing the chiefs to issue a statement against their people who had been evicted from Sichifulo GMA.

Muntanga said Chief Siachitema of his constituency had phoned him to inform him that Mukombwe had sent a vehicle from Livingstone so that he could be picked together with other chiefs so that they could go and issue the statement in support of the government.

“Chief Siachitema, Mukuni and Nyawa are not part of what has happened to the people and their support was not voluntary because when Mukombwe sent a vehicle to pick Chief Siachitema in my constituency. He phoned me saying I am being told to go and make a statement,” he said.

Muntanga said Munkombwe was politicizing the matter by punishing innocent people just because they supported UNPD.

And Moomba Royal Establishment (MRE) spokesperson Elvis Malumo has described Kazungula member of parliament Regina Musokotwane as a nuisance for supporting the settlers.

Malumo charged that Musokotwane who was part of the team of parliamentarians who walked out of parliament last week, was insighting settlers in Sichifulo to continue living there illegally because she wanted votes.

He said chief Moomba would in March allocate land to all the displaced settlers if they were ready to follow the right procedure. But when contacted for a comment, Musokotwane said she did not want to argue with chiefs through the press.

Labels: DANIEL MUNKOMBWE, GAME PARKS, LAND RIGHTS, ROBBIE CHIZHYUKA, SQUATTERS

posted by MrK @ 4:12 AM