MDF to be deployed on Zomba Plateau to stop alarming theft of trees

This trek of illegal sawyers was captured and went viral on social media

* MDF to be given all the powers to deal with anyone found entering the plantation and harvesting timber

* This challenging situation in Zomba should have been curtailed by us the stakeholders

* But it seems we are also the direct beneficiaries of this illegal act

* If the malpractice involves politicians who claim to be powerful, let us know, we will deal with them decisively

By  Solister Mogha, MANA

Minister of Natural Resources & Climate Change, Owen Chomanika has announced the deployment of Malawi Defence Forces (MDF) soldiers onto Zomba Plateau as an immediate measure to protect depletion ot timber and other natural resources that is alarmingly rampant.

Chomanika disclosed this at Sunbird Ku Chawe Inn during a Zomba plantation stakeholders meeting which was organised to, among others, find solution to the alarming illegal harvest of trees from the forest reserve.

He said the Ministry has noticed with sadness the rate at which illegal sawyers were harvesting trees from the plantation, posing a threat to the future generation.

“As an immediate solution, from next week, we will be deploying the MDF and the police who will be here for months or years,” said the Minister, adding that the MDF will be given all the powers to deal with anyone found entering the plantation and harvesting timber.

The Minister further said another contributing factor to the malpractice was corruption amongst stakeholder, who included the forest officers, police and cooperatives working in the Zomba plateau.

“This challenging situation in Zomba should have been curtailed by us the stakeholders but it seems we are also the direct beneficiaries of this illegal act.”

He, however, said the honeymoon on plunder of natural resources is over, as drastic measures would be taken on whosoever dare to destroy natural resources in the country.

“If the malpractice involves politicians who claim to be powerful, let us know, we will deal with them decisively,” he warned.

The Minister also announced about revocation of licenses to some concensioners whom he said were also contributors to the massive harvesting of young trees from the plateau.

“We can’t sit and watch some players who claim to be our stakeholders being in forefront promoting the malpractice. Today, I wish to announce that we have revoked license for Chivumbe cooperatives,” he said.

Senior Chief Mlumbe concurred with the Minister, saying a lot of damage has happened to Zomba plateau and the chief promised to support the ministry in it’s quest to protect the plantation.

“Getting the MDF into the forest is the rightful decision and we fully welcome it,” the chief said.

Some of the participants to the meeting proposed for proper timber market licensing and suspension of sales of timber products in the district  during off season.

The stakeholders meeting in Zomba follows an outcry from the public who expressed concerned with massive destruction of the forest as in the past few weeks, hundreds of people were seen carrying logs of trees from the forest unconcerned and in broad daylight.

Present at the meeting was Chief Executive Officer for Southern Region Water Board, Duncan Chambamba, who said they are willing to take over 1,000 hectares of the plantation which it can manage by employing its own forest guards and guard it jealously.

At a media engagement on December 27, Chambamba also joined other environmentalists in sounding warnings of illegal logging, which the forestry authorities were aware of but the malpractice still took place in broad daylight.

Chambamba said the logging still takes place such that some of the wood sawdust forms part of siltation of Mulunguzi Dam with effects being having water that smells, whose extra-mile treatment becomes more costly.

To counter the effects of poaching of trees on the mountain, SRWB secured rights to protect 100m along each of the banks of feeder streams to the reservoir Mulunguzi Dam on which they will be planting and protecting all forestry products.

While the public pointed fingers at SRWB of not controlling the deforestation by deploying security forces to secure the Mulunguzi Dam catchment area, Chambamba said their jurisdiction was the reservoir dam and along its pipeline to Zomba City.

The plateau and its products are under the department of forestry, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources & Climate Change.

However, Chambamba said securing the banks of the feeder streams to the dam, will help them plant more trees over the years, while hoping the authorities would intensify security patrols of the entire mountain.

Thus his contribution at the meeting of taking charge of over 1,000 hectares of the plantation which it can manage by employing its own forest guards if mandated to do so.

In 2020, Zomba Forest Lodge — through its Reforestation of the Environment and Ecosystem of Zomba (TREEZ) project — established the entire length of Mulunguzi River as a water catchment conservation corridor by planting indigenous trees.

The initiative was to ensure the future of Zomba City’s water supply as well as preservation of the beautiful nature conservation zone for tourists — an exercise that was carried out by TREEZ in conjunction with Zomba Tour Guides Association.—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express