Authorities at Nakonde border in Muchinga Province have intercepted and impounded 53 foreign trucks laden with Mukula logs.
The 53 foreign containerized trucks were intercepted by the Zambia National Service (ZNS) a week ago.
Muchinga Province Minister Henry Sikazwe has confirmed the development to the media over the weekend.
Mr Sikazwe who is also Senga Hill Member of Parliament commended ZNS Staff at Nakonde Wulongo check point for always being alert and ensuring that no illegal goods are taken out of the country through the border.
He warned that government will not allow transportation of illegal goods through the Nakonde border.
Mr Sikazwe has since given the Zambia Police and other investigating wings 48 hours in which to establish the source of the impounded Mukula logs at the border.
Mr Sikazwe’s directive comes in the wake of threats by foreign truck drivers that they will stage a protest this week to demand for the release of their trucks.
The truck drivers are claiming that the contraband they are carrying was harvested in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and not in Zambia.
And some foreign truck drivers who sought anonymity complained to ZANIS, that they have suffered a lot from the time their trucks were impounded a week ago and appealed to government to release them as they are carrying transit goods.
“We are carrying transit goods and we are appealing to the Zambian authorities to release us because this Mukula we have is From outside Zambia,” said one truck driver who declined to be named.
Government has suspended the harvesting and export of Mukula trees with immediate effect.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Elijah Muchima said the move will enable verification of documentation of those exempted and the impact of the 2017 ban.
Authority all the 53 tracks must be forfeited to the state, the new dawn government have promised to raise the understand please do so.. Zambia is for Zambians and not foreigners, And fanny enough foreigners what to protest after doing something wrong.. none sense
This country is to rich to be asking for donor aid.. Zambians let’s wake up from foolis.hness it’s a new dawn
This huge Mukula scandal is just left over meals from greedy + corrupt PF era.
Ban the transit of mukula through zambia.
Banning harvest of mukula in zambia but allowing transite is like banning slavery in zambia but allowing transit of salves through zambia.
DRC has no capacity to protect their forests.
Let’s not not help the Asians destroy african forests…….
Well said.
Legalize the export of mukula. Thats revenue fir the national. Why anything that brings money is illigal . Mukula is not drugs nor wasting asset… Legalize this
Redo, besides deforestation, only a few benefit immensely from the sales of the said logs and is mostly done under cover. Smuggling is rife in this trade therefore the country doesn’t benefit.
Please note that those demands are coming from areas of the world where they have depleted their resources. Are you mad, you Africans and Zambians in particular? Are you going to manage yourselves when you have destroyed your environment for a few pesos? Ndipo muli upuwa wa zoona m’dziko limene iyi! I have never seen such stu.pidity in my life and it keeps getting worse.
The upnd are in charge. Can they tell us what in the world is happening. I hear HHs sons are involved in this trade
Just arrest all those who are behind this it’s as simple as that a country where people have no rule of law especially the former ministers
UPND behind this my foot
The 53 foreign containerized trucks were intercepted a week ago, What are the police and other investigating wings waiting for. It is clear the contraband has no documentation. Verification of documents can not take a week.
Well done ZNS. This reveals the kind of Police we have in Zambia.
To date, we are still awaiting the arrest and prosecution of culprits of the PF regime corruption scandals, some of them are listed in my alias name above. What’s going on, are these people so connected that they have even now compromised the new Dawn govt? I know RB is protecting Lungu, but even some of his minions should be in front of the judge by now.’
The evidence is there with the money trail in the banks… get a warranty from a judge and investigate all records involved; piece the evidence and you will cage them.
Too early ba upnd to start stealing
What is required is to create a special task force comprised of members from appropriate security wings preferably with the help of an outside urgency such as the Scotland yard to investigate not only the plunder but the alleged stealing of votes and vote buying that took place under the PF. As facts are collected and corroborated individuals involved in the plunder and vote stealing should then appear before a special fast-track court where appropriate punishment would be meted out. What should be avoided is creating a circus where much resources and time are wasted on bringing culprits to book as it happened in the Mwanawasa era. Since we Zambians want to know what really happened during the PF era it would be of importance if at the end of it all a report is produced so as to bring…
Mukula does not make sense to me.
Rose wood takes 99 years to grow. We
are seeing these haversts and no one is talking about replanting.
Practically, these tree will extinct. Let’s just leave them alone.
Garbage in Garbage out….and the trend continues. Both HH and Lungu are criminals