Poachers have shot dead an officer from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) at Luangwa Game Management area in Nyimba
district of Eastern Province.
Eastern Province Police Commissioner Alex Chilufya confirmed this and identified the deceased as Roderick Ngulube who was shot at
Mweteshi stream on Sunday around 07:00 hours.
Mr Chilufya said that there were six wildlife officers while the poachers were seven in number. The poachers managed to escape after the shooting incident.
Mr.Chilufya said police have launched a manhunt for the seven poachers who shot dead an officer.
“There was a shooting incident of one Zawa (DNPW) namely Roderick Ngulube who was shot dead by poachers at Luangwa Game Management area.This occurred on February 12th 2017 at around 07:00 hours at Mweteshi stream in Nyimba,”Mr Chilufya said.
In a similar incident, poachers on Sunday wounded an officer from DNPW in Nalusanga National Park of Kaoma.Tourism and Arts Minister Charles Banda who confirmed the development said the officer was expected to be evacuated for specialised treatment.
The minister called upon the police at Nyimba and Kaoma to quickly arrest the poachers who shot dead and wounded the officers from DNPW.
“I am in Nalusanga National Park of Kaoma District in Western Province where an officer was wounded by poachers yesterday (Sunday). It is unfortunate that poachers have resolved to shooting our officers and let me call upon the police in Nyimba and Kaoma to bring to book the poachers before they get out of Luangwa Game Management and Nalusanga National Park,” he said.
Mr Banda said poaching should not be entertained because it might lead to depleting of the wildlife.He advised DNPW officers not to give up but step up the campaign to ensure that all efforts were made in order to bring to book the seven poachers who escaped from Nyimba.
The Minister said his officers should continue to guard against poaching stating that the destruction of wildlife should not be
allowed.He said the preservation of wildlife had the potential to create of jobs in the country.
DNPWS will continue losing its workers/members of staff as long as they are not allowed shoot at the intruders. The officers are armed but not defend themselves against poachers but against wildlife. In Zimbabwe, if you site a poacher; you shoot to maim and if they shoot back, you shoot to kill. Empower the Wildlife Police Officers to shoot at poachers.
@Chitechi – If what you are saying is true then it is a very sad state of affairs. How can you not allow ZAWA officers to shoot at poachers who are armed with all sorts of weapons ranging the most sophisticated automatic rifles to rudimental tools like spears and knobkerries.
ZAWA officers must be given the most recent and sophisticated weapons to deal with Poachers. A Poacher is not human in mind; – A Poacher normally shoots to kill; be it an animal or a ZAWA officer Poachers just shoot them to kill to avoid being apprehended and spending time in jail.
Most ZAWA officers are seen with those old colonial shoguns that were left by the British and German during the second World War when Poachers have upgraded their weaponry – ALLOW ZAWA OFFICERS TO SHOOT TO KILL WHEN POACHERS FIRE BACK…
Poacher temunobe.Some rangers say they would rather come face to face with a lion than a poacher
its really sad for someone dying like that, but talk of salaries very poor.
Unofficially its a “shoot first ask questions later” situation! Whoever sees the other first opens fire!..
BaJeke,
What kind of thinking is that? what if your grandfather goes collecting mushroom and Rangers mistake him for poachers’. Should they shoot first and ask later? what we should be advocating for is better training and equipping of these wildlife officers. They should give them paramilitary type of training. Have good communication and transport for easy mobility. late alone good salaries. Sad a life was lost.
These guys need equipment and technical assistance…other govts are investing in their scouts with even procuring even hand held drones and night vision equippment, our govt would rather pay some empty suit minister to sit in his office doing nothing!!
There is more we hear than we can see. the killing of an officer by poachers is uncalled for. However, because there is a scramble for the resource as in wildlife, poachers feel they have equal though greedy chance to these resources. There must be a compromise here, these officers cant be sacrificed like that for nothing. they need to protected by law. A poacher sure is poacher and has no mercy at all.
We need our Government to enact a law which allows a shoot to kill policy. Or a shoot on sight policy. Only then, will we reduce poaching.