Ministry of Tourism and Arts Permanent Secretary Howard Sikwela says Hippo killing in the Luangwa River Valley will proceed due to contractual obligations.
Reverend Sikwela said his Ministry has no powers at this stage to overrule the decision on the planned hippo culling slated to restart mid this year.
Speaking during a meeting at his office when United States of America Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote visited him, Reverend Sikwela said his Ministry concerted to the cull because of the challenge of hippo carrying capacity of the Luangwa River Ecosystem and contractual obligations that were already undertaken.
He said Government appreciates the support of the US Embassy to the growth of the tourism sector especially in the South Luangwa National Park where an estimate of 40,000 American tourist visits, contributing around US$37 million each year.
And Ambassador Foote said he wished there could be an alternative solution to the cull.
Ambassador Foote said American remains Number One tourist source market to the South Luangwa and it would be sad the tourist opts to go to other countries because of the negative perception created by the undertaking.
The ambassador said he was not there to tell Zambians what to do about their wildlife resources.
Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has said time and time again that “culling is a primitive conservation strategy”. And Ambassador Foote says he wished there could be an alternative solution to the cull. He says it would be sad the tourist opts to go to other countries because of the negative perception created by the undertaking and added that he is not there to tell Zambians what to do about their wildlife resources. These are loaded statements.
If a contract is not in national interest, it can and must be cancelled. It would be folly to proceed with a contract that disadvantages the nation. The excuse by the PS is childish and unacceptable. Just cancel the contract sir.
This is silly from the PS. So the reason for culling is contractual and not necessity. The is how PF always executes corrupt deals. Pathetic!
Give poachers back their money.
But PF cancelled and lost money by terminating contracts for sales of NRDC and ZAFFICO, and also Sata grabbed ZAMTEL from Libyan rebels for corrupt sale.
So-called Reverend a man of God is allowing and participating in broad day theft of live hippos.
Africans are very good at destroying, breaking, cutting, killing, and stealing….. they need to start learning how to produce,make, create, innovate and conserve. learn to give back to their people and their environment. until this happens Africans will forever remain premitive.
No No Zambian politicians are good for that ….look at Rwanda the launched a satellite yesterday into space to help link up schools in the country the same day that lazy man in State House received his $70 million 10 seater luxury jet when there are no basic facilities in UTH he is thinking of luxury travel on his next trip to RSA for basic check up.
Useless PS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
This is what thieves do lie even with those titles such as Reverend …money has already charged hands i MEAN WHAT CAN BE CONTRACTUAL ABOUT CULLING OR HE MEANS TROPHY HUNTING LICENCES.
NO SHAME AT ALL…LAZY LUNGU WASTED YEARS INDEED!!
*CHANGED
Very unfortunate decision by our government, this decision will undermine our tourism that is often dependent on foreign visits. Again, the attraction is because of the numbers and variety. Allowing greedy to overtake conservation will cut the tourism numbers.
Ba presidentLunngu please don’t cull Hippos.i love wild animals.why cant you take them somewhere.let us keep these animals for future.Mudala wesu nishani.please don’t do this.Tourism is very important for this country.we gonna lose a lot.We need Pf to br popular again.Toursim can bring more dollar
The PS is avoiding being sued for breach of contract. I hope priority will be given to the poor people who live in the Luangwa valley in terms of hippo meat. I would support this exercise if it will significantly contribute to the conservation of the environment. Remember we have only one Zambia.
Why they kill hippo? Hippo is do what to them?
Lungu and his gang have already chewed the money naimwe……you think they can pass up an opportunity to get free money with out working for it ? You must be joking…to them this is mana from heaven
Leave hippos. Butcher crocodiles
Then who is going to clean up after the croc is butchered?
The justification is very silly. Why not export them? SA and Rwanda has a deficit. Luapula and Kafue have few hippos as well, so we can relocate some. Killing is not a solution.
Start with Kambwili
No administration worthy its salt would allow this ridiculous exercise in the country they love and value the god given resources. These PF thieves will sale anything for self – enrichment. This is a dark patch in the post independence era of our nation. It is very depressing and a reflection of hollow leadership.
It there is too much hippos in Luangwa River ,why not move them somewhere else like Zambezi and Kafue .This is a senseless move .
In other words they already collected the money and chewed it so they can’t or won’t refund.
It was not a conservation or balance of ecosystem issue in the first place. It was about kick backs from private licence arrangements – which it appears have already been paid and the characters involved in the scandal now have to fulfill their side of the ‘bargain’.
Some of you choose to close your eyes hypocritically, but the exchange of favours, tenders, contracts, licences, etc. for self aggrandizement has been the order of the day in this regimes reign.
Checkout The Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW) Facebook page!