Zambia Police in Lusaka are today expected to question Phoenix FM Journalist Logic Lukwanda.
This was after Lukwanda was summoned to appear for questioning at the Police Headquaters in Lusaka.
Lukwanda is scheduled to appear for questioning at 09: 00 Hours.
Several police officers in a white land cruiser delivered the Call-Out to Phoenix Offices on Monday afternoon.
The reasons for his summoning have not been made public but sources close to the Police revealed that Lukwanda will be questioned on his coverage of the disappearance of 80 Black Lechwes.
“Logic has been very active in covering this story and the powers that be feel that he has been paid by enemies of the Findlays to write negative stories about this issue. The summoning is to see what he knows about this issue,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Conservationist Nsama Musonda Learns who first exposed the Black Lechwe saga says she will no longer respond to police summons over the matter.
Mrs Learns said she has now left this matter with her lawyers and that she will not respond to any police summons until they record a statement from the complainant and explain to her lawyers what charge the complainant has laid against her.
“If conserving nature in line with the legal and policy frameworks on environment and natural resources is POLITICAL and tantamount to treason, I need serious guidance so I am writing to the Anti Corruption Commission for guidance on the whistle blowers policy and protection of citizens.”
She said she will also write to the International Union for the Conversation of Nature for guidance on sale and translocation of Red list vulnerable species and the Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International for guidance on the protection of citizens rights.
Below is Mrs Learns full statement
MY LAST AND FINAL STATEMENT ON THE 80 BLACK LECHWE
Dear Zambians,
Allow me to make my last and final clarification on the case of the 80 Black Lechwe so that those following can make their own informed decision.
On 13th October 2019, I made an appeal to all concerned citizens, CSOs, FBOs in Environment and the media to help us get information on the whereabouts of the black lechwes because they are a rare semi-aquatic antelope endemic to the Bangweulu Wetlands and being a conservationist I was concerned about their survival in a new habitat.
On 14th October, I wrote another statement explaining that the Black lechwe is listed under the International Union for the Conversation of Nature – IUCN Red List as a vulnerable species which requires special attention and conservation, therefore removing such a species from its natural habitat requires the Department of National Parks and wildlife authority to produce an ecological assessment to prove that the species will adapt to the new habitat. The report is supposed to be shared with the community resource board and proceeds from the sale are supposed to trickle back to the board for the benefit of the chiefdoms surrounding the game management area.
On 15th October I was called by a certain radio certain to confirm my appeal which I did and minutes later the Minister of tourism and arts was also called in who then refused that such a thing never happened and since called on the commissioner of police in Mansa to summon me to give more details. On the same day, the Permanent secretary confirmed that indeed a capture permit was issued in March 2019 by the former minister of tourism and arts and the 80 black lechwes were captured on 10th September 2019 and the same day translocated to Kwisoko/ Witpank and Langani ranches.
SURPRISINGLY, despite the answers I sought being given, the minister has gone ahead to accuse me that I’m being paid to attack the strongmen surrounding the president so that when they are out I attack the president himself “ati ichilya amani, bushikubumo chikalya ichibikila amani” meaning those who eat eggs will one day eat what lays the eggs!
Honestly Zambians an attack on the president is tantamount to treason, is this what the minister is saying? How can I , a mare conservationist with no political affiliations, single-handedly attack the ruling party and the president?
I am kindly inviting all interested parties to check all political party records to see if my name appears in any of their registers. As for being paid, Care for Nature Zambia has an account with Cavmont Bank, please be free to check our transactions and align them to our projects, the doors are open for public audit and including on my personal account. Anyone who has witnessed me being paid to attack the PF is also welcome to provide evidence.
As for calls for me to say who captured and counted the 80 Black Lechwe, I think the Department of National Parks and wildlife authority is better placed to give answers. In my layman position, I’m thinking the rightfully people to give the minister full information are:
1. Those who issued and signed the capture permit
2. Those who conducted the ecological assessment and produced report
3. Those who conducted the capture
4. Those who transported the Lechwe and the check points were they passed
5. The buyers and receivers of the lechwes
My final position is that I have now left this matter with my lawyers and I will NOT respond to any police summons until they record a statement from the complainant and explain to my lawyers what charge the complainant has laid against me
if conserving nature in line with the legal and policy frameworks on environment and natural resources is POLITICAL and tantamount to treason, I need serious guidance so I am writing to the:
1. Anti Corruption Commission for guidance on the whistle blowers policy and protection of citizens
2. The International Union for the Conversation of Nature for guidance on sale and translocation of Red list vulnerable species and
3. The human rights commission and Amnesty international for guidance on the protection of citizens rights
I would also like to advise my attackers that they have the right to remain silent or anything said can be used against them in the court of law
Nsama Musonda Kearns
Environmental and Human Rights Activist
Luapula Province -Zambia
3rd November 2019
Lol Zambia is being culled like never before, seen or imagined by these guys. What will surely be left. Surely any supporter is mentally unstable. What will it take to stop them. I think there in too deep to stop as consequences will not change so why stop??? Just pray there will be a country to salvage at the end of it all.
Thanks
My fellow PF team, let’s take it easy on this one.
Thanks
Only in Zambia. Where a minister can order police to arrest someone in what can only be a civil case. Let journalists operate freely you imbeciles
Police taking call out to wrong people please take it to the police you took the animals.
Please put them in a MUSEUM.
Zambia is completely lawless now. It’s being run by thugs and criminals in double breasted suits, masquerading as leaders. The good guys, including whistle blowers, are smeared and characterized as the bad ones—and gangsters are now the good guys. Even the police go after the good guys, and not the gangsters. And Lungu, the gangster in chief, cares not what happens to Zambia’s resources, as his only motivation is to steal, loot, plunder and pillage Zambia before he gets thrown out in 2021. That’s why you never hear from him when corruption surfaces anywhere. Thereafter, he’ll escape to his mansion in Eswatini, leaving Zambia in tatters and ruins. Hopefully we can capture some of these crooks in 2021, before they escape, and cage them for a hundred years each.
What has Zambia turned into, a freaking BANANA REPUBLIC? Now we have Ministers threating citizens for being concerned about the affairs in their country and for sking the right questions? And where is the President’s voice in all this?
Lord have mercy!!!!!
We are a country run by thugs in suits. How some people do not see this is heart breaking. What is even more concerning are the lengths to which they will go to protect their lucrative corrupt practices. We predicted they would send us into record indebtedness, run a police state, and that they would push for a Lungu third term. We now predict that as they sense increased unpopularity, they will resort to massive looting in the next 12 months, while really being on the offensive against credible opposition and credible media sources. These things never fail in a Zambia, where the separations of power have been reduced to a grade nine civics joke. Here is to hoping the citizens are now awake.
“Only HH can make it into PARADISE PAPERS!” UPND INCOMPOS Group 4s.
Ba Nsama nabo, ifyakulemba fulu, ifima elele. Your expose failed. No lechwes were stolen. The rightful ministry has paper work to support anything that happened, your fake news is being questioned by your funders for sure.
Becoming harder and harder to justify, ey? An entire minister directing the police commissioner to harass a private citizen because she has blown the whistle.. Could he not have invited her to his office for a further chat on the matter in presence of relevant wildlife permit authorities? Abash intimidation!! This is our country not some colonial hot bed.
This is the same corrupt PF rat who told us grz goes not need to tell anyone or follow any regulatory requirements when capturing wild animals …….
And the woman challenge Chitotela to provide the resettlement assement papers and other environmental requirements, he failed to do so……
Citizen are constantly drunk ?
Aba ba Zambian Citizen babwela pofye.. This learned sister of ours is being threatened by useless *****s in society and that’s what you come up with.. I think you are a waste of space..
More importantly, the appointing authority is mute over such ministers and police.. it sends wrong signals to is all…
Think what you like!
Go ahead summon him or her but as a people of Zambia the truth is known already, the animals were illegally moved without documentation for the purpose of having them sold. Being a specie that is threatened the corrupt minister has pocketed a lot of money. Now useless ZP has never summoned anyone who wrote about the 48 miracle houses, fire trucks, lungu snake eating, sale of national park etc. So summoning this journalist just shows how fearful this government is after being exposed. I for one am ordering this thieving government to take back the animals where they belong. The people are saying enough is enough and if this government does not want a people uprising they have to start doing the right thing now before it is too late.
Exactly!! No one summoned for the 48 mystery houses, forest 27, fire tenders..on and on the story goes..on and on.. Abash intimidation!!
The behavior of the PF nowadays is similar to that of an African regime on its way to out. There’s no need to use the police to intimidate the lady because I can see that she’s now very scared
I love the spirit of this great woman and true Patriot of Zambia. The way she stands up to this thieving government is indeed a marvel. Zambia needs more people like her who have the courage to rise up and make thieving leaders accountable. She has driven fear in the spines of the whole crooked government using a simple tool of speaking out and voicing her concerns to put the government on its knees. Chitotela give back the animals to the people of Zambia, reimburse whoever paid you money to have them captured.
I think the Zambia police is now acting as confused as the mayor of Lusaka, you see when you cant execute your authority and find out that actually the PF cadres have more authority than you, you just resort to drama, what is wrong with a journalist writing about Lechwe’s that have probably jumped on an executive plane?
Mr Journalist, this should spur you to dig deeper into the story. Theres no greater sign that someone has something to hide and your digging is making them mighty uncomfortable… Dig deeper!
Hahahaha. ZP why not summon stardy Mwale who has been exposed by his fellow PF member for theft of public funds but instead you dununa reverse and summon a reporter or journalist for doing his job. Anyway that is what happens when you have a government with no direction. President asks for proof of corruption from the people, bowman unwittingly supplies it by exposing mwale and the department that paid him full contract price but alas they shift focus to go and harass an innocent conservationist and a journalist.
PF has failed….i hope you bloggers out here vote…and make sure you vote get you voters cards because 2021 is coming and no excuses… If you want change lets vote pf out if you want mediocrity then dont complain when pf wins in 2021.
In whose name is this crook stealing and trafficking chamba? Just asking
I am dumbstruck. Bushe kwena mwe bena Zambia nangu tulo how can we allow our ELECTED officials to do all these things as they like? Now they are becoming intimidating because they are in positions with power that they do not deserve and therefore misusing it to silence those who want honest answers. Awe mwebo te ifi kwena mwe! Neo nazingwa ndipo navutikilatu mweo! Earlier these fo.ols are dispensed with the better mwawantu!
Police why? If it is libel then don’t call the police, use the court. Atase
To the conservationist woman and the journalist being harassed by PF ,
The best thing you can do for your country is to write to every international organisation that will listen, mrs learns should write to every organisation concerned with climate change and wild life while the journalist should write to every organisation concerned that looks at journalists……
Lungu likes to travel , exposing his corrupt GRZ internationally is the best way to get his attention …….
that is what saved HH from those fake treason charges…..international exposure
How come who ever questions things of national interest quickly is being labled as an enemy of the govt and the PF party? Can some one school me, does it mean no one should question whatever the Govt and the PF party are doing in this country and who the heck do they think they are? Zambians are very slow to react to issues but when they do, no power can stop them. Ask KK, he will tell you. Dont push us too far, we are not fools. Watch out!
Atase imwe ba PF this is how now you can behave?? Please you are de-campaigning yourselves. Leave Nsama alone…what wrong has she done? We supported you as PF but we did not say you were free to do wrong things. You are making yourselves unattractive to us who support you. Please stop it imwe.
Her name is Nsama Kearns and yet every news site I read they are calling her Learns.
LT even has a quote from her with her full names on it yet they still write Miss Learns when she is actually Mrs Kearns.
How bad?
GOD is listening and the HEAVENS are watching
Please be strong. PF is under immense pressure because of so many wrong decisions. Be prayerful that government changes for the better come 2021, and you will be amazed what scandals will be exposed. It is clear that 80 black lechwes were translocated from bangweulu to private ranches, and what Zambians need to be assured is that the sale has government blessings.
hahahah insoni ebuntu!
Nsama, we are with you. This issue would have gone unnoticed if it weren’t for you.
I challenge any PF blogger to say something sensible on this issue.
PF is showing signs of exit.
Fellow Zambians,
The cost of freedom of expression is enormous and Naama Musonda is simply enjoying that. PF has nothing to do with people threatening her. Who knows the people calling her are after Chitotela. UPND can do that. HH issued a statement on Kalaba not because he supports him but simply because he wants the votes in Luapula be divided. Failure to causing confusion no chance to ein 2021.
Please f.uck off you stup!d !mbec!le. Thanks.
Stuppppppid malupenga.You have stolen our animals.I don’t why the president is sparing you.You must be fired immmediately. Atase kutumpa uku!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t be dildoberries, I don’t see how you can bring in the UPND in this saga Khumalo.
Honestly, Chitotela did say, ON RADIO that there were lechwe moved, and the PS, in the same day acknowledged what she had said.
Chitotela went on to instruct police to arrest her, what more do you want?
Edit, *That there were NO*
As Alangizi Ba Chitukuko we have discovered that politics of hate and bitterness will not take our country forward therefore it is important that we as citizens start thinking out side the box by developing a mind of progress and finding new ideas on how to contribute to national development . Our mouth should be talking new ideas and the brains should also think new ideas. What legacy are you going to set up for your children? Great minds discuss ideas, Average minds discuss events, while small minds discuss people, therefore knowledge speaks but wisdom listens…..
This country is rotten everything is rotten