State reaffirms Mukula logs export ban

THE 11 trucks laden with Mukula logs which were intercepted and impounded by suspected PF and UPND youths on Friday night in Shimabala area will today be released for export to China via the Chirundu border. The Ministry of Defence yesterday extended an invitation to the media to witness the flagging off of the 11 trucks by the permanent secretary, Mr Sturdy Mwale, which will be conducted in Kafue this morning to facilitate for their export. But this has infuriated the Zambia National Association of Sawmillers (ZNAS) who have questioned the outcome of the investigations which Government instituted after the logs were impounded and the legality of the export by ZAFFICO in the midst of SI 31 which is in effect. ZNAS president William Bwalya told the Daily Nation in an interview yesterday that ZAFFICO was exporting Mukula logs when there was an export ban and transiting of logs (round wood) through and from Zambia. “SI 31 from the Ministry of Lands is clear. Furthermore, a ministerial statement of the Minister of Lands of July13, 2017 emphasises the ban on export of logs including Mukula. Why then was ZAFFICO issued with an export licence to export Mukula logs worth $150,000 to China when there is a ban? Is ZAFFICO exempted from abiding by the SI 31? “The Act says that the director of forest will advertise in the local newspaper of illegally harvested and confiscated forest produce for ninety days. If there is no claim of the said produce, the director will proceed with the application for a forfeiture order from the court surrendering such forest produce to the State. The contraband then becomes state property which should be disposed of in accordance with the state property disposal and none of these procedures have been followed,” Mr. Bwalya said. He charged that ZAFFICO had entered Green Lake premises in Muchinga and seized 200 cubic metres of Mukula lawfully owned by the company without a seizure order and exported it to China. “Furthermore, ZAFFICO should be aware that there are lawful concession licence holders in the forest who need their rights to harvest respected as their licences are still valid. Refer to the amnesty letter of December 21, 2017 from the director of forestry allowing concessionaires with valid purchase documents to move their Mukula from their concessions. “This in itself is recognition that there are people in the forests with valid papers. If ZAFFICO are doing what they are doing with back up of the law, there is no blame due to them. But if they too are regulated by the SI 31, they are not following the rule of law but the rule of men,” he said.