The Zambia Revenue Authority has intercepted a total of 22 Mukula trucks worth 6.6 Million Kwacha.
Among them 3 trucks were intercepted in South Africa at Beit Bridge and are being brought back into Lusaka.
The Elite ZRA Anti-Smuggling Squad has been working with various security wings of government to make sure the contraband is brought back to Zambia.
Corporate Communications ManagerTopsy Sikalinda said the Authority has memorandum of understanding with Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and the South African Revenue Services (SARS).
Mr Sikalinda said the Authority wishes to thank all the security wings for the help rendered to ZRA during this sophisticated assignment.
“As an Authority we wish to make it very clear that we shall not tolerate any smuggling into Zambia and out of Zambia. ZRA has since forfeited these trucks to the state with immediate effect and the Commissioner General will soon be donating this Mukula Consignment to the state through ZAFFICO,” he said.
This has to stop … these are resources needed to develop our country
We need to figure out a way to replenish these trees too. For everyone of them cut, we have to plant 10 new ones.
It takes 90 years for one of them to fully mature for heavens sake, we cannot be cutting them at this rate without a replenishment strategy in place for crying out aloud!!!
Heaven help us all …
One really wonders how many trucks are still out there? Not to mention the shipments that have already left the continent. ZRA is not able to recover those any more. The metaphor: “tip of the iceberg” is not there for nothing -this is exactly what it implies.
Isn’t this just window dressing in order to divert people’s attention from the trucks that were intercepted by PF cadres? The poor individuals are now in jail for what they did.
How can this crime be thriving unabated in peace times when all Public institutions remain in place, functional and are paid by tax payers? Is there a breakdown of laws and state security apparatus in the land? President Lungu, you took oath to serve and defend the interest of Zambia. This development is one indefensible and totally unacceptable. You have all intruments of power to stop it. Restore order now. Is Zambia safe all she has fallen to mafias and militia economy? This is very dangerous. If national assets can be smuggled freely, what would stop entry in the country of cargo with lethal weapons of war unabated.
As long as no one is brought to book, such acts of economic sabotage will go unabated until we the people challenge and kill it at all cost ASAP. There is no way 22 trucks loaded with stolen national assets can be crisscrossing Zambia through ports of entry with so much easy. Zambia is facing dangerous economic crimes we must stop now. We are enemies of own destiny.
@ B R Mumba, Sr tell that to your minion boss.
They should also be confiscating the ones the state corrupt actors like Lungu and his minions are smuggling out.
The incompetence of the Zambia Police and ZRA, how did these trucks leave the borders of Zambia, only for the South Africans to intercept them.
I am glad that you can now smell the coffee ba Senior Citizen. Just yesterday you were busy pouring scorn on Kalaba’s resignation which he based on Corruption.
PF are too busy stealing to think of the future……now eurobonds have finished they are looking like starving rats at looting anything sellable….
the question is when was this done? are they not just confiscating the same mukula trucks so that they auction to themselves. how come the trucks passed all the way from Zambia into SA? who facilitated
Why has government put restrictions on Mukula but not Mukwa and Tick.
The best would be to allow citizens acquire official documents like they do for other trees and legally export the timber or timber products.
Restricting it only encourages illegal dealers to exploit the trees.
But Zambia is a Dirty country, lets be honest. South African public toilets and workshops are cleaner than most Zambian offices, kitchens and living rooms!!!! Chorela will never end, NEVER!!!
It had to take Namibia to seizes more Zambian illegal timber logs for them to start working. The Anti-corruption Commission of Namibia has seized yet another consignment of suspected MUKULA logs being corruptly transported transported through that country.
The Zambian truck registration plate AJD 7928 carrying the logs has since been confiscated.
Look at this day dreamer B R Mumba….who is he foooooling?
@ B R Mumba,.. in 2016 you were referring to LUNGU as Zambia’s Abraham Lincoln. You still think the same today? Or I guess now you’ve agreed that your president is incompetent? With all this rampant corruption under his watch, we haven’t heard him stand up and make any strong bold statements about it. You’re either naive, or just plain dumb if you still think he’s effective.
This is a tragedy. I wonder whether these leaders understand the implications of this corrupt behavior that’s happening in our country, unabated. There’s clearly a breakdown of law and order in Zambia. It’s like corrupt people are now just stealing openly with no fear of any repercussions whatsoever. So much corruption has happened since Lungu took office in 2015, it’s just unbelievable. The country’s resources, which we could’ve used for national development, are being looted faster than one can blink. And only a few people are enjoying life in Zambia now, at the expense of the suffering masses. This is simply unacceptable. And to think that incompetent Lungu is still fighting to stand in 2021, simply scares the heck out of me. 53 years after Independence, this country…
(Continued).. deserves to be much better than it is now. With proper leadership, we could’ve been a great example of a thriving democratic country in Southern Africa for others to emulate. But now we’re just a laughing stock to our neighbors. This is very sad.
the word is Busts not Bursts.
This editorial team should improve in 2018
We give thanks to South Africa (SARS). This means Zambia and Zimbabwe are corrupt countries and their security wings are fake. Only South African Security wings are the best.
But most of Mukula Trees goes via Tanzania and Angola which are also corrupt countries. Unless u educate the villagers in zambia, and unless poverty is dealt with, Mukula Trees will remain a source of income to the chiefs who sold it illegally.
It’s not enough for ZRA to forfeit the trucks but the should also revoke the appointment of the chief involved and the villagers who were employed to cut them because everyone knows that it’s illegal cutting those trees.
It had to take Namibia to seizes more Zambian illegal timber logs for them to start working. The Anti-corruption Commission of Namibia has seized yet another consignment of suspected MUKULA logs being corruptly transported transported through that country.
The Zambian truck registration plate AJD 7928 carrying the logs has since been confiscated.
BR Mumba snr that is what must happen in zambia, not just for mukula but for all native species, in Australia they make the mines replant the degraded areas, locals are employed to collected seed propagate then plant. Locals get wages, skills, land gets rehabilitated and eco balance is getting restored.
Just ask a question, those roads into bush areas that were developed, did they open the mukula forests up
Totally agree … axiomatic
What PF government should do is to get purchase orders from China for specific sizes of timbers.
There are hundreds of sawmillers who would add value to them.
Zaffico is a conduit of theft. There is no proof of payment other than what perm sec said that money has been paid into GRZ.
Where are the Letters of Credit?
Was ZRA aware of the illegal export of Mukula Tree logs whose Trucks were impounded by the PF Youths. Why were the 22 Trucks being escorted at Night to the Chirundu Border Post by ZPS,ZNS and State House officials in spite the Mukula Export Ban? What was ZRA’s Role on this illicit Chilanga Mukula Export Consignment? The fish rots from the Head Downwards.
And why were foreigne trucks used
Chola – I thought that ZAFFICO explained that that was legal authorized by them? Does it matter if foreign trucks were used and the transportation was done at night as long as it was legal?
Ordered to clear the truck on Zambian side only to be caught in Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Guess why no one is being fired?
Iwe Topsy,this idea of not naming the culprits must remain in 2017 otherwise I’m firmly convinced that this is purely a diversion tactic so that we forget about the recent saga..try next time. ZRA isn’t this efficient!!
These are MALAWIANS at it again, ine ndeloleshafye…
Why can’t we start processing these logs in Zambia instead of ZAFFICO exporting them? Adding value will create more employment for our people.
Since we know “ZAFFICO” will still export these, why bring them back to Zambia instead of just continuing with the “export” but now change the name of the exporter from Smuggler A to ZAFFICO?
#Chola
Zra is very much aware through individual officers at different exit points, there are trucks which have being leaving the country through Katima mulilo ,this information can be obtained on Namibian side, ZRA officers at Katima are very rich my dear, this is the Truth let ZRA go and investigate
When is Cholera reaching Southern Province kansi, so that it wipes out Tongas and UPNDee.
They are not dirty like us
Its interesting that suddenly they are reporting arrests for Mukula after the PF vigilante youths effected a citizen’s arrest on the drivers ferrying the same for top guys in government who had been at it for a long time. One hopes this is not an act to hoodwink the public they are now enforcing the law. Where have they been when the business has been happening under their very noses??
How did all those mukula trucks pass the Zambian exit points only to be intercepted at Beit bridge?Someone must be instantly fired somewhere. Or may be government should just legalize the export of Mukula so that proceeds go into government coffers in order to grow our economy instead of the money ending up in a few individuals’ pockets
No one is accountable in this PF government by choice……they are 90% theives in PF……..accountability is a disease to be avoided in PF starting with lungu…..
As long as something is of economic value, people will always find ways to get round the authorities. It is the same with ZESCO vandalism. ZESCO have spent millions of dollars to curb this device while the chain of vandals, middlemen and buyers exists. The sad part is that it is Zambians, our friends, neighbours and relatives who perpetrate these horrible activities. It is Zambians, not Chinese, Lebanese, or Indians who dig out ZESCO cables. Govt banned the exportation of scrap metal some years back with the hope of young Zambians setting up furnaces and refineries to process the scrap locally and export semi and finished metal products. But what is happening today, the same Zambians are in the forefront of smuggling the scrap out of Zambia using forged export papers from DRC so that the…
…trucks look like they are in transit!! It is the same with mukula, this vice is being done by Zambians, not PF cadres or state house as they want you to believe but Zambian businessmen we interact with everyday!! So to blame the govt everyday is not right, the onus is on us citizens to be patriotic and start pinpointing these culprits or ask them to stop their vices.
Kkkkkkk it’s really a cartel …the same people intercepting the trucks their the same people will be sent to escort the trucks back to business…stop fooling us ZRA we know it very well how you’re playing it.. you only want mukula business to be in your hands only … it’s a shame .. your greediness en selfish interest will cost you dearly.. just wait and see you don’t own Zambia..but Zambian own this country and decide who is supposed to be at the helm of this country..
This govt simply has to go they do not even know what land has been sold in our country!!
LT, are the trucks part of the K7m value?
LT, is it the trucks, mukula logs or both that are worth K7m?
What a swamp of inconsistencies! According to ZAFFICO, some Mukwa is now ‘legal’ and heading to China on some trucks and according to ZRA, there is other Mukwa that is illegal and the trucks on which it is on, should be heading back this way!
What a swamp of inconsistencies! According to ZAFFICO, some Mukula is now ‘legal’ and heading to China on some trucks and according to ZRA, there is other Mukula that is illegal and the trucks on which it is on, should be heading back this way!
This story does not add up at all. ZRA did not bust any Mukula scum here – How did the contraband get through the Zambian and Zimbabwean borders only to be stopped at the Beit Bridge in South Africa? It appears there is no honor among thieves – the recent Mukula export by ZAFFICO et al being intercepted by PF “youth” has something to do with this……ZRA owes the public more info.
Topsy is also corrupt and u are also used by pf officials,why not naming the culprits,we know zra top bosses u are used.tasila is also involved and many Lusaka youths .copper belt is struggling with this economic of pf while Lusaka is enjoying 2021 shall differentiate.
@Zambian citizen, you have been a disciple of PF corrupt regime unflinchingly with dunderheads like Mr Kudos. How can you now lament falsely how corruption in PF has continued? Truth always catches up with liars.
Edgar Lungu and PF regime are so corrupt and incompetent that every Zambian now knows. Lungu a disgrace to Zambia and Africa.
No, knucklehead. My point is this mukula problem is being driven by criminals not PF officials as the useless and fake media want us to believe. Lungu is a victim of a vile and hateful grouping that wanted to sieze power in 2015, they have vowed to paint him black if they don’t get their wishes. LIKE THE USELESS MWANAWASA ANTI-CORRUPTION THAT FAILED TO CONVICT FTJ, UNTIL YOU GIVE US SOLID EVIDENCE THAT WILL START SENDING PEOPLE TO JAIL-YOU ARE BLOWING HOT AIR!!!