Questions for government from our reader in Lumezi

By Editor

I follow the stories you write and like the way you dig deep and put details to it.

I know that your main focus is investigative stories. But because journalism also looks at stories that affect people, am encouraged to request, if its possible, to help us here in Lumezi to bring out our sufferings.

Human – animal conflict

The problem started in June 2022, when the Zambia/Malawia authorities (Governments) agreed that wild animals from Kasungu National Park in Malawi be allowed to crisscross the border of the two countries.

During one of the discussions, they (government) called it translocation. It’s like opening a gate.

This problem was not there in the past and many of us feel this is a problem inflicted on us by authorities.

They (governments) had promised that what we see in Mfuwe or Mwanya areas, where animals cause havoc will not happen here because research was done.

But if you come to interview people here, you realise that thousands of people are now living in fear.

So what research was done when the exact opposite is what is happening?

Is government waiting for the animals to start killing people before it revisits its decision?

We see views of politicians being published by journalists everyday on many issues. What of us common villagers? Don’t our fears, worries, thoughts about our future matter?

One of the radio stations in Eastern Province broadcast the story, but I was not satisfied with the way they it was produced.

They just amplified the views of our district commissioner, Jimmy Phiri, mentioning that the issue has turned into a very serious problem.

I think, authorities will not understand the seriousness of the issue without hearing from ordinary people. It’s thousands of villagers that are affected, yet the district commissioner sounded very casual.

Very soon, we are getting into the farming season and our fears are that our crop fields will not be spared. But no one is paying attention to our fears. Maybe if we voice out our fears through you people at MakanDay, they will hear us. IFPAB agents who had continued with their activities here, stopped immediately your story was published. For me, that’s a sign that you people are powerful.