The Encroachment of Lusaka National Park by Politically Influential Persons

Status: Open Case (Red Flag)

Last updates:

September 2024 – The Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) has demolished about 30 illegally built structures in Lusaka National Park. The Ministry of Tourism has also instituted investigations into the illegal land allocation.
June 2024 – Operation to demolish illegally constructed structures by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife fails

June 2024 – The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources warns the PIP encroachers

Concerns:

Threats to wildlife and biodiversity

Abuse of political influence and illegal possession of land (officials claim they have assurances that the land will be degazetted)

Abuse of function, benefitting the elite at the expense of the population and nature

Reluctance to rectify illegality

Context:

Lusaka National Park was established in 2011; it is the second national park to be established in a city environment, the first being Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Livingstone. The park, located approximately 30 kilometres form Lusaka, was opened to the public in 2015; it currently hosts over 1000 species including white rhino, blue wildebeest, and black lechwe, among several others.

In June 2024, it came to public attention that Government officials and ruling party cadres are apportioning themselves land in the Lusaka National Park catchment area allegedly aided by the Lusaka City Council and the Ministry of Lands. This revelation came after an operation to demolish illegally constructed structures, mostly houses, by the Department of Parks and Wildlife failed because the structures belong to high profile individuals. The media who accompanied the officials reported that the government officials were threatened with lawsuits, hence the operation to demolish was halted. It is estimated that over 100 structures have been constructed illegally in the national park catchment area.

The former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Elijah Muchima, MP issued a warning to said individuals who have illegally built properties in the Lusaka National Park will face his ministry’s wrath, regardless of whether they are ruling party (UPND) cadres.

“I am happy that it has exposed certain dealings. If my officers in my office are involved in shoddy dealings, they will be in trouble. The general public knew that it was the UPND cadres. But going on the ground, there are people with papers. We don’t want to go the PF way, where there is connivers, collusion. People are colluding between councils and my officers here. If the issue is on title deeds on government or individual properties without regard to the law, we shall go our separate ways. We need to be above what was happening before. How can Lusaka City Council go and subdivide government property? Whoever has put up a building there illegally will face the wrath of the ministry. We don’t care whether it’s our cadres,” he said.

In September 2024, after mounting pressure from civil society (including TI-Z), it was reported that the Ministry of Tourism, through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) has demolished 30 illegally built structures in Lusaka National Park. The Ministry has also instituted investigations into the illegal land allocation.

Waving the Red Flag:

Developments in Lusaka National Park are concerning because they are very similar to those of Forest 27. The case demonstrates again that the political elite abuse and twist the rules and laws to their advantage, in this case to obtain valuable resources such as land. It is noted that those implicated are quite confident that the land will be degazetted, after the fact – therefore, having insider knowledge and advantage. The fact that someone can construct on land they are not supposed to with the ‘assurance’ that their wrongdoing will be ‘justified’ after the fact is ample proof that the PIPs are operating outside the law and due procedure.

Moreover, the perpetrators’ pecuniary advantage is demonstrated by them issuing threats to government officials who were attempting to correct the wrong and mandated to ensure no illegal construction occurs in land that is earmark as a national park.

There are clear signs of abuse and peddling in influence, as most of the offenders are affiliated with the incumbent political party in power.

TI-Z publications:

https://tizambia.org.zm/2024/07/ti-z-concerned-with-increasing-abuse-of-protected-areas/#:~:text=Transparency%20International%20Zambia%20(TI%2DZ,a%20recent%20News%20Diggers%20publication.

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