Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) has noted a number of developments following the release of an article by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) on institutional patronage of forest looting in Zambia. On Friday 17th September, TI-Z issued a statement in response to the release of the recent EIA findings which showed that over 10,000 trees had been plundered through an illegal cartel during the period 2017 to June 2021. Following our press release, the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD), one of the entities mentioned in the EIA report, contacted us to refute the findings, stating in no uncertain terms that the institution is subjected to annual audits and can therefore not allow the illegalities mentioned in the EIA findings. In light of this, TI-Z challenges the Office of the Auditor General to release audit reports for ZAPD for the period 2017 to 2020.
In repose to TI-Z’s call for citizen interest and government action to halt the illegal Mukula trade, alert youths in Mongu, Western Province, intercepted 8 trucks carrying Mukula logs. The youths demanded to know the owners of the logs and an end to the unfair trade which has been benefiting a few. Following this incidence, TI-Z also noted that on Friday 24th September, government suspended the harvesting and export of Mukula trees. The Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Mr. Elijah Muchima, stated that this was done to verify the documentation of those exempted and the impact of the 2017 ban.
Although we commend the move by the Minister to announce the suspension, we note that Mr. Muchima’s statement was watered down and did not cite the public entities which were found wanting. The Minister did not also recognize the gravity of the situation and failed to give any direction towards imposing a Zero export quota for Zambia under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). TI-Z is worried that the Minister may have been misinformed by suspected members of the cartel on the actual developments in the sector. We would like to remind the government that any local action to suspend Mukula trade, without imposing an international ban on exports from Zambia, is likely to be cosmetic.
TI-Z would like to commend the actions of the Minister of Community Development, Ms. Doreen Mwamba, who undertook a fact finding mission to ZAPD farms on 25th September 2021. The Minister found 10 trucks with Mukula logs at the farm and 7 others near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The trucks were allegedly awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Lands and documentation from the DRC. Following the discovery, Ms. Mwamba ordered for an urgent investigation into the Mukala scandal in order to identify the owners of the trucks.
TI-Z believes that Ms. Mwamba’s fact finding mission has validated the EIA report. Government should therefore take action to investigate the happenings around the illegal trade, and all parties and public entities which have been involved in the illegal trade should be brought to book without fail.
Maurice K. Nyambe
TI-Z Executive Director
