President Edgar Lungu has sworn in the newly appointed Ministry of Lands Permanent Secretary, Barnaby Bwalya Mulenga and directed him to focus more on preserving the country’s forestry and the environment from destruction.
The President noted that the forests have suffered destruction by some civil servants and traditional leader with impunity hence the need for the new Permanent Secretary to ensure that trees are protected and preserved.
“The Ministry that you are running is not the Ministry of Lands. It is the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources an Environmental Protection. Firstly you are directed in particular, to preserve natural resources and the environment,” He said.
He added that, “I see a lot of destruction of the forestry of this country with impunity. Some people are abusing their positions either as traditional leaders or civil servants. In that respect I urge you to focus more on preserving our environment”.
President Lungu also directed the new Lands PS to ensure that there is equitable distribution of land amongst all citizens saying he has been receiving reports of illegal allocation of land which he said should be addressed.
The Head of State said he is aware that some people are operating as land brokers by acquiring huge pieces of land and resell to people who have no access to land at exorbitant prices a situation he directed the new PS to quickly address.
The President has also sworn in Stephen Chibesa as Public Policy Specialist for the Cabinet Office.
And Speaking to Journalists shortly after being sworn in, Lands PS Barnaby Mulenga said he will carry out the presidential directives and ensure that land is accessible to all Zambians and that forests are protected.
He said the Ministry will push for the Lands Policy to be finalized to ensure that there is equitable access to land, saying the trend of issuing huge piece of land to individuals who later subdivide will soon end once the policy is put in place.
Mr. Mulenga also said the Ministry will consider bringing back Forest Guards commonly known as ‘bakapenda mabuula’ to protect the forest and also partner with communities in the rural areas to ensure that forests are protected.
He said he will ensure that the issue of Mukula trees being exploited is brought to an end by engaging security wings to bring to book people caught exploiting the trees.
I’m asking ”primitive Zambian people to PLEASE be civilized… its none of YOUR business what someone is wearing.
The trend of primitive, Zambian men, stripping vulnerable women naked in public is not right and it should be stopped!!
Shame on these lowlifes, when did anyone’s dressing became another person’s business?
Mobs of jobless, classless, stinking Zambian men target and attack vulnerable young beautiful women and rip away their clothes until they are naked…. their dirty idea to take their minds from poverty, I wonder?
These savages are potential rapists who should rot in jail
The last time i checked God created us naked and in African culture women wore bark-skin “G-String” IMIBINDE & topless.
Chitenge’s & SALAULA WERE BROUGHT to you BY FOREINGERS
Shame on you Zambians!
The local people are contracted to cut the trees by foreigners & are being paid ‘peanuts’ for the precious MUKULA TREE
Mr. President save our lions and leopards from Jene ” I am a hater ” Kapata.
Viva President Nawakwi.
Mr Edgar Lungu should have made this statement in the chitemene province, the headquarters of disforestation.
No cohesive orconsistency in policies…where do stand on nature Lazy Lungu what did you actually learn on your holiday in Mfuwe or maybe you were more interested in what they were serving behind….your dull minister has lifted the ban on hunting big cats with no clear reason and you are talking about conservation. ..just have another drink Lazy man.
MR LUNGU EDGAR, IT IS NOT EFFECTIVE JUST TO MAKE PLATFORM ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT OUR FORESTS. YOU KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEM IS, THE ORIGINS AND PERPETRATORS OF THE PROBLEM. BURNING TREES FOR CHARCOAL HAS LARGELY CONTRIBUTED TO DDEFORESTATION, FOLLOWED BY CUTTING DOWN OF TREES FOR EXPORT TO COUNTRIES WHERE THEY ADD VALUE TO WOOD. THERE’S NO NEED FOR CITIZENS TO USED CHARCOAL FOR HEATING AND COOKING. ZAMBIA HAS ABUNDANT COAL WITH EVEN LONGER FIRE-LIFE THAN CHARCOAL. MINED COAL SHOULD BE PREPACKED AND DISTRIBUTED TO ALL PARTS OF ZAMBIA FOR DOMESTIC USAGE. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH MUST COME UP WITH EFFECTIVE WAYS OF REPLANTING CUT DOWN TREES (NOT EXOTIC TREES) TO SAVE THE FORESTS. BRING BACK BA KAPENDA MABULA.
continued from @6. BAKAPENDA MABULA ARE FOREST RANGERS IN OTHER WORDS. WHEN I WAS YOUNG IT WAS ILLEGAL TO CUT DOWN A TREE ALMOST ANYWHERE WITHOUT AUTHORITY FROM A GOVT DEPT. GOVT SHOULD DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN INDIGENOUS TREES AND IMPORTED EXOTIC (IMILEMU) TREES. IMPORTED EXOTIC TREES ARE MAINLY FOR CHEAPER USES SUCH AS ROOFING, FENCING, CERTAIN BRIDGES AND AS SUPPORT IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, ETC. INDIGENOUS HARD WOOD ARE USED FOR VERY EXPENSIVE ORNAMENTAL FURNITURE OVERSEAS AND LESS AT HOME. LOCAL TREES, PLANTS AND FLOWERS ALSO SUPPORT LOCAL ANIMALS/INSECTS AND TREES (THEMSELVES) LIFES. WITHOUT THEM WE CAN NEVER HAVE UBOWA, IFISHIMU, ABUNDANT WILD FRUITS IN ZAMBIA SUCH AS AMASAWA, INFINSA, IMPUNDU, AMASUKU, IFISONGLE, AMAKOLE, AMASAFWA…
FROM @6.1. INFUNGO, INSONWA AND MANY MORE I HAVE FORGOTTEN. ZAMBIA IS BOUND TO LOSE ALL THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS THROUGH OUR POLITICIANS, TECHNOCRATS, CIVIL SERVANTS AND THOSE WITH POWER TO MAKE DECISIONS. JUST BY THE NUMBER OF FRUITS I HAVE MENTIONED ABOVE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH COULD HAVE DOMESTICATED THEM IN PLANTATIONS FOR HOME FOOD AND DRINK PROCESSING INTO BEVERAGES AND EXPORT AS DRINKS- SOFT AND HARD, SUN-DRIED SNACKS, DESSERTS, STOKEFEED. MIND YOU MOST OF THE WILD FRUITS ZAMBIA HAS ARE NEVER FOUND IN OTHER COUNTRIES. OR SIMPLY EXTINCT IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND ZAMBIA STILL CAN’T LEARN A LESSON. WHY CAN’T WE ZAMBIANS WAKEUP TO ALL THESE GODLY GIFTS? “LESA TAFUMBATIKA APALAMIKA FYE”, USED TO SAY THE LATE MICHAEL SATA. IT’S UP TO OURSELVES TO LOOK AFTER THESE THINGS AND USE them.
@ Peter it is *****ic to use block letters for commenting.
The problem with Edgar Lungu is he suffers from short term memory. When Harry Kalaba was Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources an Environmental Protection minister, they were the same people wanting a mine in Lower Zambezi? Knowing very well it’s a protected area by UNESCO. This would have been a catastrophe and Harry Kalaba over turned the decision but thanks to the whole world and conservationists signing petitions and fighting the decision made it possible for the operations to not go through. A feasibility study was conducted proving the Australian’s changed figures to make the project look fruitful. They wrote 25 years of gain when it was actually 9, they would have taken off leaving us with an economic mess on our hands. Stop Trophy Hunting and conserve and protect Mr. President.