Irate East villagers burn ZAWA camps

By ALEX NJOVU

 
POLICE in Eastern Province have arrested five community scouts who allegedly killed a poacher on Saturday and concealed his body in a valley in Chief Chitungulu’s area.
The action sparked a riot by villagers and Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officers and their families are reported to have run for their lives.
They hid in the bush as villagers rampaged through their camps.
The irate villagers burnt two camps belonging to ZAWA.
Both Eastern Province permanent secretary Eularia Syamujaye and police spokesperson Ndandula Siamana confirmed the incident in separateinterviews yesterday.
Ms Syamujaye said in a telephone interview from Chipata that the villagers destroyed ZAWA property, burning down several houses.
“I can confirm that a poacher was killed by community scouts, who are trained to protect nature. They decided to conceal his death by hiding the body in the valley. When the villagers learnt about what had happened, they ran riot.
“They burnt more than 10 houses belonging to ZAWA, killed domestic animals and destroyed maize fields.
They destroyed anything in their way at the two camps, including a vehicle, which they burnt,” Ms Syamujaye said.
She said the village scouts, who have been arrested, have been charged with murder.
Ms Syamujaye said it is unfortunate that a life was lost, but advised members of the public in Lumezi Constituency in Lundazi against taking the law into their own hands.
She said there was no need for the villagers to destroy ZAWA camps and kill domestic animals.
“We are disappointed with what happened on Saturday. We condemn the shooting and killing of a poacher in Chief Chitungulu’s area by community scouts.
“And I want to make it clear that ZAWA officers were not involved in the shooting of the poacher. It was the village scouts who killed him. We also want to appeal to villagers to desist from destroying public property,” she said.
Ms Syamujaye said calm has since returned to the area.
She said Government has provided food and tents to the people whose maize fields and houses were destroyed.
“We have sent 40 by 50 kilogrammes of maize and tents to people whose maize fields and houses were destroyed,” Ms Zulu said.
And Ms Siamana confirmed the incident but could not give further details.