Four Traditional Leaders in Siavonga and Chirundu districts in Lusaka and Southern Provinces have abolished the cutting down of trees for charcoal trading.
The four Chiefs who include Sikongo, Chipepo, Simamba, and Chief Sinadambwe have agreed to stop their subjects from cutting down trees to protect the environment from further destruction.
Chief Simamba said the cutting down of trees is worrying because Siavonga and Chirundu district receive less rains,adding that if the situation is not controlled they risked having a desert in future.
He said the Chiefs have decided to come together to help government protect the environment and they have appealed to Chirundu and Siavonga to venture into other economic activities than depending on charcoal trading.
Chief Simamba has since urged government to put up a policy that will empower traditional Leaders to punish people destroying the forest in their areas.
And Chief Chipepo has also expressed concerns over the cutting down of trees that has disturbed the natural resources and wild animals for a long time.
He said there was no Charcoal burning in Zambia, in the early 1960s and it was only being practices in Tanzania and Zambians learnt from them.
He, however, said Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana and other neighbouring countries have stopped the practice.
The Chiefs urged government to work with them to protect natural resources.
The Traditional leader pointed out that they would not wait for the Ministry of land and Environment to protect their natural resources.
The Chief Chipepo explained that there is need to stop charcoal burning as it a serious disease like Chorela which is killing trees that gives oxygen.
“Even in your home if there are rats and snakes, you can put poison to kill them and we cannot keep quiet and let our trees finish we have to stop it” the traditional leader explained.
This is wonderful news. It is time government cut expenditure on buying expensive vehicles for ministers and other useless government officials, except provincial technocrats that actually have use for them. That money can be used to prop up SMEs. Open up Credit unions for locals and encourage green economics. Thanks Chiefs, but source money for your subjects as well.
Leaders with a vision!
Traditional leadership has no state apparatus to enforce its will. They can dream about it and it ends there.
Good news! Good leaders!
Thank you basa. Chipepo is my uncles’s name who still lives and he is 96 years old. My friend headman Frankson Shamende also makes me feel comfortable as a bemba tabwa with a tonga lenje grandfather.
Very good; but what are they using now for cooking in places with no electricity
Absolutely wonderful news!!! This is excellent progress. What are the other chiefs waiting for??? Lamba chiefs please take note and keep pace with progress- imiti yashila mwi lamba.