MUKULA SCAM UNEARTHED BY DOREEN MWAMBA IN CHIPILI
Minister of Community Development Doreen Mwamba has unearthed a scam where a cartel at the Ministry is working with the corrupt PF regime have continued to harvest and export Mukula trees belonging to Zapid farms a department under Ministry of Community Development charged with the responsibility to manage Mukula farms in Chipili district Luapula Province.
During a fact finding mission conducted by the Mrs Mwamba, Saturday, 10 track laden with mukula were discovered at Zapid farms while 7 other tracks were found packed along the road near the farm.
This was a pending forged documentation for Mukula logs to be transported under the pretext they are from Congo.
And the drivers found at the scene explained that they have been waiting for documentation from Congo packed along the road in the bush while the tracks at the Zapid farm awaited for clearance from the Ministry of Lands.
“For the past 2 months the drivers have been waiting for a go ahead from owners of Mukula trees who are connected to the system” They revealed.
And Mrs Mwamba expressed saddeness over the indiscriminating cut down of Mukula trees at the farm.
“This is sad that only a few people from the PF Mukula cartel benefit while the farm remains undeveloped at the expense of the underprivileged.
“We were getting reports that they are illegal activities at the farm, so we came for a fact finding mission but what we have found here has shocked us, over 200 track loads of mukula have been taken from the farm by the past regime without any written approval from cabinet,” explains Mrs Mwamba with shock.
“When as politicians forget that we are here to serve the people and illegality becomes normal it ia dangerous but not with the new dawn government because greed and selfishness have taken over our humanity.
We forget the vulnerable people whom we are supposed to serve, if there was abuse of office in the past government it will end under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichikema.
When the President said we are here to serve and reunite this country it does not mean criminals will get away with it, anyone who commit criminal activities will face the law.” She emphasised.
The Minister has since instructed track drivers both at the sight and on the road side in Chipili District not to make any move until investigations from the relevant authorities are concluded.