The Anti-corruption Commission( ACC) has intercepted and seized 47 trucks loaded with Mukula tree logs enroute to neighboring Namibia and Zimbabwe, with unknown final destinations.
According to a statement released to the media by the Commission Spokesperson Queen Chibwe, 24 Trucks were intercepted in Mongu on 22nd October, enroute to Walvis bay, Namibia, while 23 Trucks were intercepted in Chirundu on 27th October enroute to Zimbabwe through Chirundu Border. The 47 trucks were found to have no required documentation to transport the Mukula logs.
The Mukula, which was being ferried by Trucks belonging to ACK General Suppliers was seized by the Commission, together with the Trucks, in accordance with Section 58 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.
“Investigations into the illegal harvesting and transportation of Mukula by some suspected politically exposed persons are still ongoing, ” concluded the statement.
In September, Minister of Community Development Doreen Mwamba unearthed a scam where a cartel at the Ministry working with some PF officials regime had continued to harvest and export Mukula trees belonging to ZAPID farms.
ZAPID Farms is owned by the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities, a department under the Ministry of Community Development charged with the responsibility to manage Mukula farms in Chipili district in Luapula Province.
During a fact-finding mission conducted by the Mrs. Mwamba, 10 trucks laden with Mukula were discovered at ZAPID Farms while seven other trucks were found packed along the road near the farm.
This was pending forged documentation for Mukula logs to be transported under the pretext they are from Congo.
And the drivers found at the scene explained that they have been waiting for documentation from Congo packed along the road in the bush while the trucks at the ZAPID Farms waited for clearance from the Ministry of Lands.
“For the past two months, the drivers have been waiting for a go-ahead from owners of Mukula trees who are connected to the system,” they revealed.
And Mrs. Mwamba expressed sadness over the indiscriminate cutting down of Mukula trees at the farm.
“This is sad that only a few people from the PF Mukula cartel benefit while the farm remains undeveloped at the expense of the underprivileged. We were getting reports that they are illegal activities at the farm, so we came for a fact-finding mission but what we have found here has shocked us, over 200 truckloads of Mukula have been taken from the farm by the past regime without any written approval from the cabinet,” explained Mrs. Mwamba with shock.
The Minister instructed truck drivers both at the site and on the roadside in Chipili District not to make any movements until investigations from the relevant authorities are concluded.
Trucks found carrying mukula should be automatically comfisticted to the state…………
CDF funds will need trucks for projects……
Movement of raw mukula purportedly from Congo should also be banned……….let’s not be compicite in chaina’s destruction of African hardwoods……..
Come on HEHH, after attending COP26 , let’s see your green credentials……….
In this vain , we expect reserve forest 27 to be restored to what it was……..a reserve forest, not a housing project………
Please just stop the export of timber. This too much. Zambia is in the top 10 ten countries that are under going rapid deforestation. Very soon you’re going to be a dust bowl. I have never seen such a people with short term thinking, greed and gullibility. You’re stealing the future of your own children and grand children.
Why are you so obsessed with PF ba upnd. Have you failed to carry out your duties as the government in power.
Is PF ruling beside upnd. Get up and start working. Stop talking about PF and do your work. Anything that happens, the blame is on PF. Let Edgar and the PF rest. We want to rest.
Indeed the export of timber should be banned, timber harvested should be for local use only. As for mukula, even the transportation through Zambia should be banned till a robust verification system is in place.
So all this while your useless COP26 is going on in some gloomy Glasgow ku bulaya. Koma viwantu inu ndinu vipuwa! You are destroying your PLANET! STYUPITIII!!!!
I just wonder, how does this continue. Anyways, still some officials from previous government still calling the shots. Minister is sleeping too, may be
This Nonsense should stop. Arrest the owners of ACK General Suppliers, so that they tell us who their customer is and review their Names. It’s unacceptable to such uncontrolled deforestation.
Has got the name of Edgar China Lungu written all over it
By the way were do you take the same Mukula when you the ACC get them. May question do you sell them or what happens ?
Why should we stop talking about pf when their marks of theft ,corruption and tribalinsm are everywhere to see? Why have they continued their illegal cutting of Mukula trees? Then you want us to ignore that?