Zambia: Govt Wants Safari Hunting Cartels to End

28 January 2012

THE Government has called for an end to the formation of cartels by some safari hunting businesses which has restricted the entry of new safari hunting enterprises.

Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga said some companies had been bidding for hunting concessions under different names resulting in the same investors holding on to hunting concessions for a long period of time.

Mr Malupenga, who was speaking when he officiated at a consultative meeting of the Zambia Wild Life Authority (ZAWA) with local communities on the expiry and allocation of hunting blocs, said such unethical business practices coupled with the failure to utilise the allocated quotas, had been detrimental to the viability of the hunting business as it reduced revenue that would have accrued to the local communities and the nation.

"I challenge this meeting to deliberate and find workable solutions to these and other hurdles facing the safari hunting industry," Mr Malupenga said.

He told the meeting that was attended by 31 traditional leaders from 21 hunting blocs that the Government wanted to consult on the allocation of hunting blocs as the 10 year period for most hunting concessions would soon expire adding that lessons had been learnt over the 10 years.

And in an interview, Chief Chipepo of the Tonga people of Chirundu District called for the inclusion of the local communities in the selection of safari companies as they were the ones that lived with the operators and observed their performance.

Chief Chipepo said it had been observed that some operators were criminals who used the safari business to launder their money before moving to their next venture.

Chief Chipepo, however, implored the Government to ensure that the operators' existence in the hunting blocs benefited the local communities who were the custodians of the wildlife.

He said unless the community benefited from the wildlife, poaching would continue to be a problem in the game management areas.

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