Several residents of Livingstone are today expected to oppose plans by Mukuba Property Development Company to develop the Mosi-oa-Tunya Livingstone Resort that will comprise two hotels, a 600-seater conference centre and a Golf Course inside the national park.
The residents who have grouped themselves together will air their concerns today at a Public Hearing on the proposed Mosi-O-Tunya Livingstone Resort to be organized by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).
The project is being pushed by Mukuba Property Development Company who are proposing to develop a 16.85-hectare piece of land in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Livingstone.
The proposed development will comprise a 126-key 5-star hotel with three floors, a 182-key 3-star hotel with three floors, a 600-seater conference centre, a Mashee Golf and Putt Course, a kids club, Twelve staff accommodation units, Three swimming pools, a slipway, two jetties, two water features, a maze, two tennis courts, a pump station and other ancillary facilities.
According to a notice from ZEMA, the public hearing will be held at Falls Park Shopping Mall at 10:00 hours.
Livingstone resident Margaret Whitehead who is opposed to the project said residents should come out in numbers and oppose the venture.
“All concerned citizens should be there. This is a revival of the Legacy Project from 12 years ago. Different company name, same people. Given land in park which was not advertised or put out for tender and will disrupt wildlife especially elephants. Propose to put a hotel below flood line,” she said.
And Claire Whitehead, another Livingstone resident and wildlife activist says the project should be rejected.
“Let’s take action on this and make submissions. Do we want to lose this last elephant corridor in the area? Do we want to lose our elephants? Do we want yet more fenced developments inside the national park, on the border of the World Heritage Site? What effect will it have on the already stressed elephants? How many more lives will be lost? What effect will it have on the birds and other wildlife in the area? Please take action if you care.”
In November 2007, the then Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) rejected an appeal by Legacy Holdings to carry out a similar project in Livingstone ahead of the 2010 World Cup which was held in Livingstone.
Government restricted the proposed development in the Mosi-O-Munya national park because it was in a protected area, a pathway for elephants and was part of a world heritage site.
UNESCO had lambasted the governments of Zimbabwe and Zambia, threatening them with a world-wide campaign to discourage tourists from coming if Legacy Holdings’s development was not stopped.
The UN agency also mentioned that the two countries had manifestly failed to implement agreed protocols for the management of the World Heritage Site as a whole.
The agreement between Legacy Holdings Zambia and DNPW was nullified due to no activity.
The shareholders of Mukuba Property Development company and directors are Mr. Renatus Mushinge – 33.33% Shareholding held under African Eagle Hotels & Resorts, Valentine Chitalu – 33.33% Shareholding and Jacob Jone Sikazwe – 33.33% Shareholding
The proposed project cost is estimated to be $149 million and the construction works will commence in the third quarter of the year 2019 projected over a 2 year completion period.
Mukuba Property Development Company plans to develop 16.85ha allocated to them in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Livingstone.
The company is expected to sign a 50-year lease agreement with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to kickstart the project.
The resort will be operated by Hilton Worldwide, a world class hotel operator.
What is really wrong with this country,Can’t these morons find land that is not in the National Parks if they really mean development and investment?Why does the government even entertain these stupid ideas?Who ever cursed this nation if i find him i will gut him like a fish
Africans…..no wonder people think we are very dull…..how can normal people build hotels in a wildlife protected area….this is insanity…it should be stopped….they can find land elsewhere within Livingstone but not in the National park
What is very clear is that Lungu and his government do not understand what “protected” land means.
This is why they have allocated themselves big chunks of land in the gazetted forest, which is “protected” land.
If we dig deeper, we will find that it is these same politicians that are behind these real estate developments using dirty money.
Lungu should have more respect for wildlife.
Can you believe that Zambia is one of the very few countries that allows big cat hunting?
Mr. Lungu, not everything is about money.
Sober up fast man.
Lungu please stop this nonsense…..PF is destroying Livingstone and wildlife…..why cant they find land elsewhere….just not in the National park please please please please please please
Zambians please wake and start demonstrations
Enough is enough…..Zambians need to start holding these silly greedy Politicians accountable
They should build small beautiful resorts within Livingstone but not in the park….not a good idea…stop this nonsense now
“Am in a hurry to sell off parastatals because government has no business being in business” echoed Valentine as CEO for Privatusation Centre little did we know he would work for CDC a direct beneficiary of the “hurriedly” sold assets of our nation. Now he is in the game park. Hell bound
Valentine is quietly enjoying the money he made under privatization while his friend, HH, is in the thick of things because he joined politics. Frankly speaking, I had forgotten that he is still alive or he is still in Zambia. He has been so quiet.
Let them create jobs Sun City in Joberg where you rush is in a park.
Very good idea lets develop Livingstone as well!
PF doesn’t understand the important of wild life conservation and they must be stopped in their tracks. They are just too greedy and selfish. Barely a week ago people were incest with grabbing of Lusaka forest reserves and now they come to Livingstone. Please people be courageous and stop this nonsense. In luangwa they are busy selling animals corruptly and without shame. Nothing of value will remain by the time PF are done.
Valentine who my foot! Is this not the guy who privatised Zambia. Amnesia??? No its him. Now waloowing in millions of dollars.
“……In November 2007, the then Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) rejected an appeal by Legacy Holdings to carry out a similar project in Livingstone..”
That was before lungu……now everything in Zambia is up for sale. Lungu needs campain funds to stay in power for 2021 or jail is calling.
It’s a done deal……
Expect the partitioning and sale of game parks and wanton sale of wild animals. These are the only valuable resources left for lungu to sell….
Let’s join the protest to stop this selfish (in my view) project. It will destroy the park forever! There is plenty of land in Livingstone that one can develop but please not in the park. It is already under so much stress. What about the old golf course? It is idling there and if Mukuba is serious, develop this one! I know they will advance the issue of location. Yes but please not in the park.
This is outrageously unbelievable. Have we lost our senses and direction? How can we allow people to destroy wildlife habitat in the name of investment. UNESCO in 2007 lambasted both Zambia and Zimbabwe over such type of developments. It further threatened to negatively influence tourists to stop coming to the Heritage Site i.e. Victoria Falls if such destruction of wildlife habitat was not stopped. If this is allowed we will definitely lose a significant amount of tourist arrivals to Livingstone. Please STOP THIS SELFISH DEVELOPMENT.
Am not for the idea I losed my uncle 2weeks are go
Awe it’s too much with our govt. You are selling wild animals from national parks and you also want to build right in the park. Please let animals live. Nothing will remain pa zed.
Was heart touching to hear how the Land Lord (ZAWA) cared less about wild life, saying these elephants are not from Zambia but from 5 countries as if justifying that they should be killed when the attack people.. Shame.. And clearly signalling that INVESTMENT in the NATIONAL PARKS was more important than WILD LIFE
This is outrageously unbelievable. Have we lost our senses and direction? How can we allow people to destroy wildlife habitat in the name of investment. UNESCO in 2007 lambasted both Zambia and Zimbabwe over such type of developments. It further threatened to negatively influence tourists to stop coming to the Heritage Site i.e. Victoria Falls if such destruction of wildlife habitat was not stopped. If this is allowed we will definitely lose a significant amount of tourist arrivals to Livingstone. Please STOP THIS SELFISH DEVELOPMENT.
The national parks, forests and Reserves are a development on their own when maintained and managed well. If this government is talking about development there is a lot of land elsewhere which they can explore. Don’t displace wildlife because of your selfish interests they are part of the ecosystem and play a role in maintaining that balance. If you have run out of land to build on start making storey buildings or sky scrapers on what you have built already don’t kill what we hold dear for the benefit of future generations.
The national parks, forests and Reserves are a development on their own when maintained and managed well. If this government is talking about development there is a lot of land elsewhere which they can explore. Don’t displace wildlife because of your selfish interests they are part of the ecosystem and play a role in maintaining that balance. If you have run out of land to build on start making storey buildings or sky scrapers on what you have built already don’t kill what we hold dear for the benefit of future generations.