A Fish ban patrol team on the Luapula river had a surprise attack by an angry mob of fishmongers and villagers alike in Mwense District of Luapula Province.
The irate mob threw missiles and consequently shattered the rear window of a Toyota Land Cruiser registration number GRZ 583CE belonging to the fisheries department in Nchelenge.
ZANIS reports from Mwense District, that the unsuspecting patrol team were attacked at Mulundu village in Chief Mulundu’s area around 09: 50 hours.
The patrol team comprised of officers from the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), officers from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and members of Village Fisheries Management Committees (VFMCs) from Nchelenge.
The team that was led by Mweru-Luapula Research Officer Masiliso Phiri was in the area following reports of rampant illegal fishing during the ongoing annual fish ban.
The villagers were incited by Chief Mulundu when he ordered the patrol team to kill all his subjects.
The traditional who arrived at the scene with Mwense District Commissioner (DC) Geoffrey Chipampanta told the team to kill all his subjects instead of harassing them because they area already poor.
The incessant villagers then started charging and started pelting stones at the team injuring one officer in the process.
Bupe Songwe 25, a Livestock Technician at the Nchelenge office had his face bruised from the flying shuttered glasses.
Too bad
Njala
Ifi na luapula ubututu wake up!
And you wonder why our rivers are over fished with mosquito nets!!
This is violence like any other violence. Since this is not political we can in a sober manner use this as a template to learn how to curb this rise in violence.
Why is it that our people of late easily resort to violence & they attack anyone whether public officials or each other. There must be something that’s making our people angry & if not quickly nipped in the bud is a recipe for greater chaos soon.
People need to educated on the importance of fishing bans like the way our grandfathers used to do…our people have no respect for politicians whom the associate govt with as they do not practice anything the preach …simply look at Lazy Lungu talking about cost saving yet doing something completely opposite.
Personally I can’t blame the villagers. Our people need to be taught the importance of the period of fish burn and I’m sure they will understand unlike the scenario where the the government just go there with full force on our poor villagers.
They say an hungry man is angry, people have seen how this politician have made themselves richer at their expenses.they have seen how this politician after voting for them ameses themselves In wealth living out our people poorer than before.
For those people in luapula that’s the only their source of livehood they have,and they have no where to run to otherwise they will die of a hunger.
There were luck the Zambia Marine-Commandos were not part of the patrol team.
“Chief Mulundu … told the team to kill all his subjects instead of harassing them because they area already poor.” But ba Chief Mulundu, how can you say such a thing? You are not even scared that one Chagwa can de-gazette your chieftainship? Mwe bafuma kwa Mulundu, pliz help educate your chief about the benefits of the fish ban!
People are starving/poor in Mwense…VIVA HH 2016
Comment: they know the importance and benefits of fish ban. I don’t know if this chief loves his pipo, this is not for our gain but theirs and they think attacking the law enforcers will reduce their poverty, they shud work hard and stop depending on fish. Its their children that will suffer when all the fish is gone.