Eastern Province Minister Peter Phiri has directed personnel under the Department of National Parks and Wildlife in Chama district to be proactive and avert any loss of life through human/animal conflict which is now raising serious concerns among the people in the area.
Mr Phiri says the department must urgently respond to widespread complaints regarding the threats to human life posed by marauding wild animals that have invaded some areas of Chama district.
The Minister was responding to concerns by Senior Chief Kambombo over the increasing loss of human life as a result of human/animal conflict during this year’s Kwenje traditional ceremony of the Senga people in Chama district.
Mr Phiri said government has recently empowered the department of national parks and wildlife with new transport to facilitate the rapid response to community complaints about attacks by elephants and other wild animals which have been on the upswing.
The Minister told community members living near the national parks to report to the District Commissioner and other government wings any shortcomings in the operation of staff under the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.
Earlier Senior Chief Kambombo through his representative Elijah Msimuko complained to the Minister that his subjects are no longer living in peace due to wild animals particularly elephants that are terrorizing them.
He said the situation has gotten out of hand as the number of people killed by wild animals keeps increasing.
And Senior Chief Kambombo has praised government for the unprecedented development initiatives which have transformed the social economic conditions of his subjects.
He has particularly singled out the support to agriculture, education and social protection saying his subjects will forever remain grateful to government for the gesture.
Meanwhile Chief Chindi of the Ngoni people of Malawi who attended this year’s Kwenje traditional ceremony in Chama thanked the government for allowing interactions amongst different ethnic groups within and outside the country through traditional ceremonies.
