Sunday, October 28, 2007

Zambia's Mwape and Luembe chiefdom villagers in uproar...

Members of the Nyendwa Royal Clan recently travelled to Mwape and Luembe to pave the way for 1), Senior Chief Luembe (their brother) to re-assume his responsibilities and signed commitments to the Luembe Conservancy Trust, and 2), to deal with Chieftainess Mwape (their sister) over her part in the illegal alienation of the northern portion of the West Mvuvye National Forest No. 54, as well as to discuss the proposed formation of the Mwape Community Trust - based on the Landsafe model pioneered by the Luembe Trust. Talks were held with Mwape headmen who complained that their area is not being well governed and that, in particular, they will not entertain the formation of any trust involving Chieftainess Mwape until such time as the people who had illegally acquired the forest have departed the area. They are particularly bitter about the fact that guards hired by Patel are barring them from access to thatching grass and loshi (binding bark).

And in Luembe, the Luembe Community Resource Board have met - along with representatives of the community, to discuss the decision by the Minister of Home Affairs to deny their partners, Gamefields and Mbeza Safaris, self-employed permits for their three executive shareholders. The result of this is a signed petition addressed to the Minister of Home Affairs, copied to their District Commissioner, stating that they consider such action to be counter to their efforts to bring development to what is one of the poorest districts in Zambia.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Victory at last in West Mvuvye National Forest...!!

The Lands and Deeds office has cancelled the 99 year lease obtained by Z. Patel for the Mwape section of the West Mvuvye National Forest; and the Royal Luembe Trust has withdrawn its application for the alienation of the Luembe section of the same forest. The Luembe Conservancy Trust and the Trust soon to be formed in Mwape, will now be able to resume their attempts to manage the area for the benefit of the community and the forest itself. And we will continue to resist any attempts to de-gazette the forest.