UPND BENEFITED FROM FOREST 27
…I’m alive to the fact some officials of
ruling party are beneficiaries – Harrington
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
THE matter of Forest 27 is pregnant with irregularities, illegalities and procedural impropriety, says William Harrington.
And Harrington, a former environment and natural resources minister, says some UPND officials are beneficiaries of FR27 plots.
In an open letter responding to lands minister Elijah Muchima who challenged him to provide evidence to assist in resolving the FR27 matter, Harrington said former president Edgar Lungu signed three statutory instruments de-gazetting over 1,100 of the 1,700 hectares of the forest.
“Honourable minister, the whole matter of F27 is no doubt pregnant with irregularities, illegalities and procedural impropriety according to preliminary investigations conducted by my fellow concerned environmentalist Robert Chimambo and me, early 2021,” the letter reads in part. “I therefore welcome your decision to appoint a so-called technical committee, but insofar as it is to investigate possible corruption in the allocation of plots and issuance of title deeds process. In so saying however, the main bone of contention is the immoral de-gazetting of a major portion prior to the August 12, 2021 general election.”
He said Lungu de-gazetted the forest to give land to PF cadres and the judiciary, adding that: “I am however, also alive to the fact that some officials of the current ruling party are beneficiaries of FR27 residential plots.”
He also disputed Muchima’s revelation that the Ministry of Lands needed US $500,000 to carry out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) before a decision could be arrived at over Forest 27.
“Notwithstanding that the figure appears rather unrealistic, I am of the considered view that such an expenditure would be quite unnecessary given that studies have already been completed by the government,” Harrington said.
He informed Muchima that Forest 27 was gazetted as far back as 1940/50s, recognising that it was a strategic ecological zone, water catchment and recharge for Chalimbana and Chongwe river systems which should not be polluted and contaminated by human activity and developments.
Harrington said the UPND got a lot of votes from Chongwe partly because the party promised during the 2021 campaigns to demolish all illegal structures in Forest 27.
“Alas to date this has not happened and concerned citizens are tempted to ask ‘what happened?” he noted.
Harrington said in support of community demands on the matter, he was presenting Muchima with documentation.
‘’Groundwater Report for Lusaka and Selected catchment areas-technical report No 2 – the Chongwe catchment (ministry of energy and water/Water Resource Management Authority (WARMA)/German Cooperation/Federal Institute Geoscience and Natural Resources-BGR,” Harrington highlighted.
He also tendered in the hydrological map of “Zambia – Lusaka Province, Mwembeshi and Chongwe, improving the capacity of groundwater management and protection in Zambia brochure by BGR” as well as the petition/demand to “Edgar Lungu from Chalimbana River Headwater Conservation Trust for and on behalf of the local community”.
Harrington reminded Muchima that from the technical report and hydrological map, Chongwe district in which Forest 27 is situated is vulnerable to underground water pollution and contamination from any housing development and other human activity.
He added that Lusaka’s main ground water source was highly vulnerable to pollution due to groundwater tables and thin protective cover.
“The human development will no doubt result in contamination of people’s source to the detriment of their health and well-being of present and future generations, outbreaks of epidemics such as diarrhoea, dysentery and typhoid will be the order of the day. It is no wonder the Water Resource Management Authority (WARMA) declared in a letter to Chalimbana Resource Conservation Trust that it does not support the housing development of FR27. It is also clear that de-gazetting of FR27 is in gross breach and violation of the people’s rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Zambia,” said Harrington. “The Bill of Rights Part V (Social and Economic Rights) at Section 52 sub-section (1) (d) States that: ‘A person has a right to clean and safe water’. This basic human right enshrined in the supreme law of the land was not respected by the former regime… I hope and pray with the comprehensive and authoritative studies herewith presented, you will see your way clearer over the matter of FR27 and spare yourself the agony of sourcing $500,000 that you said you need to undertake the EIA, but which money you confirm you do not have.”