Maravi

E/Province minister lobbies for Lundazi ZAWA officers

E/Province minister lobbies for Lundazi ZAWA officers
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Wed 11 May 2011, 04:00 CAT

EASTERN Province minister Isaac Banda says Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officers whose houses and property were destroyed during the riots in Lundazi’s Chitungulu area need a lot of assistance.

In an interview on Monday, Banda who visited Chitungulu area after the riots that were sparked by the suspected killing of a poacher whose death the villagers blamed on ZAWA officers, said property worth over K100 million was destroyed.

“The situation in Chitungulu is settling down, the only thing that we need is probably to look for some help. You know that (some ZAWA) officers lost all their items in the two camps (Chakolwa and Chanjuzi) and their houses were burnt. We have tried as government to come in and help the people with some food but we need more than that,” Banda said.

He said the government was looking at ways to help the ZAWA officers so that they could come back to normal life.

Banda said he would be going back to Chitungulu to check on the situation because the body of the deceased had been taken to Lusaka for pathological services.

He said government hoped that the law would take its course on those that were arrested for riotous behaviour.

Banda said the relationship between ZAWA and the community was fair and that there was an inter-connection between ZAWA and the community through the Community Resource Boards.
He advised ZAWA officers to also act when animals become ruthless towards human beings.

“ZAWA should have strict methods of preventing these animals from destroying crops as well as human beings,” Banda said.
The suspected poacher died two months ago and his remains were found in the bush.

posted by MrK @ 3:58 PM