Wild life trophy hunting is legal in many African countries.Big-cat trophy hunting is regarded by many as primitive in this day and age.
So why would a country like Zambia lift the ban on the shooting and killing of its precious lion and leopard populations?

The answer is very clear – it is the need for foreign currency in order to fund sustainable wildlife programmes, which can be costly, and also to benefit local communities.
Trophy hunting is a multi-million dollar industry – a licence to shoot a lion can cost up to $25,000 (£15,000) in neighbouring countries.
Zambia’s economy was built on the back of copper mining but now commodities are on a cyclical downward spiral. Consequently the country’s currency, the kwacha, has lost a substantial amount of its value.

For this small country, tourism is another way of bringing in foreign currency.There is no doubt that the beautiful banks of the Zambezi river in Livingstone and the Victoria Falls are still a draw card for international tourists but take a closer look at the numbers and it soon becomes clear that trophy hunters bring the lion’s share of the greenback.

Zambia’s country director of the World Wildlife Fund Nyambe Nyambe told me that when the ban was initially announced back in 2013 “there were not enough monitoring systems in place”.
The government lifted the ban following expert recommendations which suggested that hunting resumption would “assist communities in affected areas with access to financial benefits”, he said.
Mr Nyambe also explained that “concerns about the big cats conservation led to the ban in the first place and there is due recognition of the same as the ban is being lifted”.
The authorities saw the need for a robust and implementable plan for leopards as well, as they have different needs to lions.

Zambia is hoping to cash in on leopard hunting

Hunting regulations were structured only for lions because hunters were mostly interested in the king of the jungle.Mr Nyambe added: “We hope and trust that the hunting of big cats will be an integral part of sustainable harvesting of wildlife resources.”But critics say there is no justification for shooting majestic animals such as the elusive African leopard just so that wealthy hunters, largely from the West, can pose for photos with dead animals.

And there is one country on the continent that wants no part in the hunting of wildlife – Zambia’s neighbour, Botswana.It has an established tradition of “shoot with the camera not the gun”.
Last week an American hunter paid $350,000 for a licence to shoot a black rhinoceros in Namibia.Corey Knowlton, from Texas, killed the rhino with a high-powered rifle after a three-day hunt through the bush with government officials on hand to ensure he killed the correct animal, which had reportedly been chosen as it was old and had become aggressive.
Mr Knowlton, 36, won the right to shoot the rhino at an auction – attracting criticism, and even death threats, from conservationists.

His supporters argued that the money raised would be used to protect other rhinos – there are just 5,000 left in the world, 2,000 of which are in Namibia.Zambia cannot be singled out for criticism because trophy hunting, albeit not always for endangered species or exotic animals, is allowed in many parts of the world including Europe and the US.But to be fair to the international hunter, local communities also hunt animals for their own purposes – whether to eat or to protect their livestock from predators.Animal rights groups hope that someday, in the not-too-distant future, there will come a time when the killing of wild animals will simply be outlawed.

By Milton Nkosi
Source:BBC Africa

STATE House has distanced itself from allegations that it is interfering in the tribunal set up to probe allegations levelled against suspended Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mutembo Nchito.

President Edgar Lungu’s special assistant for press and public relations Amos Chanda said President Lungu has no influence in the tribunal as he just appointed its members.

“President Edgar Lungu received petitions from member of the public immediately he assumed office which alleged that the DPP was involved illegal activities,” he said.

Mr Chanda in an interview yesterday said the petitions were too many and that is the reason President Lungu constituted the three member tribunal to probe the allegations.

“As far as I can remember, they were about seven petitions that the president received against the director of public prosecutions and that prompted the head of state to set up a three member tribunal that is investigating the allegations,” Chanda added.

Recently, the tribunal that consists former Chief Justices Annel Silungwe, Mathews Ngulube and Enerst Sakala has come under fire from critics of President Edgar Lungu who accuse the head of State of interfering with the proceedings of the tribunal.

Zambian Voice executive director Chilufya Tayali accused former chief justice Annel Silungwe, who is chairing the tribunal, that he has been negotiating his retirement package with President Edgar Lungu because he feels that he was not properly remunerated.

Tayali is also quoted accusing Rupiah Banda of orchestrating the removal of Mutembo from the office of Director of Public Prosecutions through an expensive undertaking in which he was involved. The civil rights activist has further advised Mutembo to seek legal recourse in challenging the tribunal’s decision to probe him in camera and that he would be available as a witness to reveal more of what he knows.

First Republican President Kenneth David Kaunda has with immediate effect released the nation, its people and the presidency from every negative forces made against Zambia.

Dr. Kaunda, a freedom fighter, former prime minister and cabinet minister in the first republic, further says Zambia shall forever enjoy tranquillity and remain a united and peaceful nation.

Dr. Kaunda was speaking in Lusaka yuesterday shortly after being honoured by President Edgar Lungu as Zambia’s founding father during the investiture honouring ceremony for Africa Freedom day held at State House.

Dr. Kaunda has been honoured together with Alexander Grey Zulu and Sikota Wina and 13 other freedom fighters who were awarded posthumously.

Dr Kaunda and his hero friends sacrificed their time, resources and energy for Zambians to be economically and socially independent

This year’s national theme for the commemoration is: “Celebrating 50 years of our national existence and accelerating socio-economic transformation”.

Dr Kaunda pronounced a blessing of peace, prosperity and stability upon the nation, presidency and the people of Zambia.

“I release the nation, its people and the presidency from every negative forces made against Zambia. I submit the souls now living and prosperity and also its presidency to the salvation and lordship of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father,” said Dr Kaunda.

“I further declare that Zambia shall forever enjoy tranquillity and remain a united and peaceful people under the motto; One Zambia, One nation,” Dr. Kaunda said.

The founding father thanked President Lungu for honouring him for his immense contribution he rendered to Zambia’s political struggle.

Meanwhile, Zambia’s sixth President Edgar Lungu has challenged Zambians to inculcate a culture of unity and hard work to attain a stable, peaceful and prosperous nation in the next 50 years.

President Lungu in his eve Africa Freedom Day message, said citizens should uphold the national aspiration of transforming the country into a highly-productive society through innovation and competitiveness.

And Mr. Lungu has pardoned and released 177 prisoners country-wide in commemoration of the Africa Freedom Day being celebrated today.

Mr. Lungu has also commuted sentences of 54 prisoners who were serving death sentences to life imprisonment while 41 inmates initially sentenced to life imprisonment have their sentences reduced to 25 years.

The President pardoned and released prisoners in exercise of powers vested in him under article 59 of the constitution of Zambia which empowers the Head of State to exercise prerogative of mercy.

The released prisoners were picked from various prisons across the country which included Mukobeko Maximum Prison.

This is the first time in the history of Zambia to have some inmates from Mukobeko Maximum Prison considered for release during the commemoration of Africa Freedom Day.

Northern Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe has asked the department of Social Welfare to include former freedom fighters on the list of beneficiaries of the social cash transfer Programme.

Speaking when he officiated at this year’s Africa Freedom Day celebration in Kasama, Mr Sikazwe observed that freedom fighters played a key role in fighting for the country’s independence and as such need to be looked after properly.

He said it is therefore logical that former freedom fighters, who were above the age of 65, benefit from government support programmes like the social cash transfer for them to led better lives.

Mr Sikazwe has since cautioned officers from the department of social welfare to refrain from giving money to people who are not eligible for the support programme.

The Northern Provincial Minister further said government is looking at modalities that will enable freedom fighters access subsidized farming inputs under the Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP).

And speaking earlier, a representative of the freedom fighters, Kapembwa Simuchile praised government for taking keen interest in addressing the plight of former freedom fighters in the country.

Mr Simuchile urged the young generation to carry forward the dreams and aspirations of the freedom fighters by ensuring peace and unity prevailed in the nation.

He said development of Zambia will never be complete without recognizing the sacrifices of the former freedom fighters.

This year’s African Freedom Day was celebrated under the theme: ‘Celebrating 50 years of our existence and laying a foundation of social economic transformation’.

Kitwe District Commissioner (DC) Chanda Kabwe has cautioned some civil servants holding higher positions in the district who are in the habit of ‘cheating’ young ladies with job opportunities in exchange for sexual favours.

Mr Kabwe says jobs should be given on merit and women should not fall victims to such Gender Based Violence-GBV acts.

Mr Kabwe says young women who are in need of jobs should not be abused by some selfish civil servants as there are disrespecting the values of human rights.

The Kitwe District Commissioner says women though vulnerable or not should be highly protected because they add value to the nation’s economic development and without them the country cannot move forward.

The DC said this in a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday.

“I won’t hesitate to severely punish the perpetrators of GBV at places of work in government departments in my district. A job is a fundamental right of a human being and women should not be victims of sexual harassment at places of work. I would like to warn that perpetrators of this vice that the law will soon catch them unaware,” he said.

He said civil servants are public workers and they should lead by example by not engaging themselves in GBV activities because such a vice is detrimental to the development of the nation.

Mr Kabwe said senior civil servants must help government reduce GBV cases because the number has reached alarming proportions in Kitwe district and country-wide.

Meanwhile, Mr Kabwe has said he is happy with the good works the Kitwe District GBV Coordinator Shupe Makishina is doing.

Mr Kabwe said Ms Makishina is spearheading a leading role in sensitising and educating the people in rural areas about the dangers of GBV.

He said the District GVB Coordinator is supporting the government in combating GBV cases in the district because women are widely affected as compared to their male counterparts.

Justice Minister, Ngosa Simbyakula says government has drawn the membership of the commission from the Electoral Commission of Zambia.

Dr. Simbyakula is confident that the commissioners appointed will use their experience in handling elections to conduct a referendum.

He told ZNBC news in Lusaka yesterday that government will go ahead in holding the 2016 general election and the referendum simultaneously because the move is cost effective.

And Dr. Simbyakula said it is regrettable that the UPND wants to frustrate the constitution making Process.

He says government will however; continue engaging the opposition political parties and other stakeholders on the constitution making process.

Meanwhile, deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office, Stephen Kampyongo says the youth should use the on-going mobile issuance of National Registration Cards-NRC’s to assert their right to vote and participate in elections.

Mr Kampyongo says government has so far received overwhelming response from the youth since the exercise of NRC’s started a few weeks ago.

He however, cautioned officers issuing NRC’s against giving the national identity documents to foreigners

And Mr Kampyongo noted that more needs to be done to sensitize the people on the importance of acquiring NRC’s in the run up to the 2016 general elections.

The Deputy Minister said this during an interview with ZNBC news in Lusaka.