In echoes of the newly released Hollywood  movie Holiday in the Wild, which is set in Zambia, Proflight, Game Rangers International (GRI) and Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) have rescued an orphaned baby elephant.

The elephant was airlifted to safety in Proflight’s 56-seat Dash 8 aircraft, flying from Mfuwe to Lusaka with 40 tourists on board and then onward by road to the GRI Lilayi Elephant Nursery that was featured in the movie starring Kristen Davis and Rob Lowe released on Netflix this month.
The one-year-old elephant, which weighs around 200kg, was named Olimba mtima – which means ‘strong heart’ – and given her own boarding pass by Proflight as she was loaded into the rear cargo hold of the plane.

After a smooth landing at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport from Mfuwe, Proflight Zambia Captain Walter Nhliziyo said: “I am very happy to play an important role in transporting the elephant calf safely to Lusaka. I love the idea of taking care of our nature and wildlife. We have tourists within and outside the country coming to view our wildlife in the National Parks; it’s important that we take care of it. I look forward to seeing Olimba mtima.”

The airline also thanked Zambia Airports Corporation (ZACL) for its support in facilitating the airlift.
It was less than a week since the rescue mission when GRI and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife were called to respond to yet another tragic elephant orphaning. DNPW Rangers came across this tragic scene: a mother elephant agonisingly caught around the neck in a poacher’s snare and bearing three life-threatening gunshot wounds. Standing under her chin, her 1-year-old calf stood in terror after the traumatic experience of being shot at and running for her life.

Tragically, her mother was too injured to be saved and had to be put out of her suffering. This traumatised little calf was darted with sedative and carefully moved with the help of Conservation South Luangwa (CSL) and DNPW staff to Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust (CWET), which have been a long-term first response for orphaned elephants and other wildlife in need.
The GRI vet unit were onsite to help stabilise the calf as they coordinate the logistics to relocate her to the Lilayi Elephant Nursery where she will be united with other elephants.
DNPW senior wildlife vet Dr Innocent Billy N’gombwa said: “Thank you to Proflight for the great job they are doing to save wildlife. It wouldn’t have been easy to transport the elephant calf on the road due to high stress.

“We are trying to give this calf a chance to live by rehabilitating it to an elephant orphanage based in Lusaka called Lilayi Elephant Nursery under Game Rangers International GRI.
“We are transporting it using air transportation with Proflight Zambia. Flying the calf to Lusaka will guarantee us to get it there as soon as possible and reduce stress on the elephant.”
The Netflix conservation film Holiday In the Wild tells the story of a young orphaned elephant calf’s rescue. GRI has rescued 49 elephant calves to date, and most have been found wandering alone, starving and distressed.

“Having been with her mother up to the bitter end she is in good physical condition, but is incredibly traumatised, frightened and confused having lost her mother and her herd due to the incessant and insatiable demand for ivory! Having lost her mother in such a brutal manner this level of anxiety is to be expected. However, she is now feeding well, and seems reassured by her carers’ presence,” said GRI.

“An elephant mother invests nearly two years in producing a calf so they do not readily abandon them. The dramatic rise in illegal ivory poaching and a variety of human-elephant conflict issues are the main cause of orphaned elephants across Africa,”

GRI works closely with the Department of National Parks & Wildlife and communities living on the edge national parks to support rural sustainable livelihoods, elephant conflict mitigations and conservation education, in addition to bolstering the law enforcement capabilities in the area to actively protect elephants and all the wildlife within the National Park and its surrounding protected areas.

By James Mulenga

Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) President Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba this morning laid wreaths at the burial sites of late President Chiluba and Mwanawasa.

Dr. Mumba who led members of his Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) arrived at the Presidential Embassy Park at 9 hours.

He then proceeded to lay wreaths at the tomb of First MMD President Dr. Frederick Chiluba and then laid at the tomb of Second MMD President Dr. Levy Mwanawasa.

In an interview afterwards, Dr. Mumba said that he had decided to visit the late MMD Leaders to pay our respects and signal a fresh start for the New Hope MMD.

“The MMD Leadership decided that before we hit the road running to regain our rightful place in the Political space, we first had to come and pay our respects to the Founder leaders of our Party. The past 4 years have been very difficult for MMD but yesterday the storm finally calmed”, Dr. Mumba said.

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has invited Journalists from Private and Public Media for a get-together-event tomorrow at State House.

The Journalists will be drawn from various media houses including print, broadcasting and online media.

The President will address the Journalists on a number of issues affecting the country and will welcome questions during the function. He will also have one-on-one discussions with the Journalists before inviting them for a photo session.

The function will start at 12:00hrs.

According to the statement released to the media by State House, President Lungu believes that there cannot be democracy and development in a country without a free media.

The statement further added that, since his tenure, President Lungu’s administration has made enormous strides in developing the media in Zambia including digitising broadcast media and growing the number of private radio and television houses in the country.

This is according to a statement made available to Smart Eagles by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Mr. Isaac Chipampe.

Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) President Dr Nevers Mumba says Tuesday’s judgment has set precedence in Zambia politics with respect to the rule of law.

Dr Nevers Mumba said that the party is willing to reconcile with the other members who were led by Mutati.

Speaking at a press briefing at the MMD Secretariat, Dr Mumba further stated that he joined the politics to bring morality and integrity in politics, to foster discipline and to fight corruption.

The MMD President has however noted that the party’s new slogan will be “New hope” as it intends to deliver a new political system.

Commenting on the nullification of the Mutati led MMD group and it’s alliance with the Patriotic Front, Dr. Mumba noted that those appointed by the President to serve in Parliament would continue to serve because his NEC had no power to remove them. He, however, said he was not privy to any documentation that supports the alliance between MMD and the PF. He said as his team settles down in office they may be briefed on such and make a decision on it.

On Tuesday, the High Court finally passed a landmark judgment on a three years court case on the MMD leadership confirming that the former vice president Nevers Sekwila Mumba was the President of the party and nullified Felix Mutati’s MMD led faction.

Meanwhile, Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) President Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba yesterday morning laid wreaths at the burial sites of late President Chiluba and Mwanawasa.

Dr. Mumba who led members of his Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) arrived at the Presidential Embassy Park at 9 hours.

He then proceeded to lay wreaths at the tomb of First MMD President Dr. Frederick Chiluba and then laid at the tomb of Second MMD President Dr. Levy Mwanawasa.

In an interview afterward, Dr. Mumba said that he had decided to visit the late MMD Leaders to pay our respects and signal a fresh start for the New Hope MMD.

“The MMD Leadership decided that before we hit the road running to regain our rightful place in the Political space, we first had to come and pay our respects to the Founder leaders of our Party. The past 4 years have been very difficult for MMD but Tuesday the storm finally calmed”, Dr. Mumba said.

PF Secretary General Davies Mwila has directed Members of Parliament to stop the convention Debate as it is unnecessary and uncalled for.

Mr Mwila has clarified that the only body competent of calling for the Convention in line with the Party Constitution is the Central Committee.

He has further stated that the Party made a resolution to enforce the Markets and Bus Stations Act of 2007.

Mr Mwila further warned that no political Party cadre belonging to any political party, whether ruling or Opposition, should engage themselves in collecting of monies in bus stations and markets as that was the preserve of the local authorities.

A caucus of Members of Parliament from the ruling Patriotic Front on the Copperbelt last week requested the party through the office of the Secretary-General not to go for a convention in 2020.

The Parliamentarians said going for a National Convention to choose the Party’s Presidential candidate ahead of the 2021 General Elections will not be necessary because there is already a consensus on President Edgar Lungu.