Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, the Rt Hon Nelly B K Mutti, SC, MP, FAPRA has called on Members of Parliament (MPs) to take an active role in combating the escalating human-wildlife conflicts in Zambia.

Speaker Mutti said MPs must be instrumental in raising public awareness, mobilizing community action and influence policy reforms to address the issue effectively.

She said this during the induction seminar of Members of Parliament, who are gazetted as Honorary Wildlife Police Officers on Saturday, 3rd August, 2024 at Lusaka National Park.

Speaker Mutti said the National Assembly is committed to finding practical solutions to mitigate the increasing human-wildlife conflicts, which threaten human lives and damage crops and property.

She noted that the establishment of the Zambian Parliamentary Caucus on Environment and Climate Change (ZPCECC) aimed to advocate for necessary policy and legislative reforms in conservation issues.

" You will agree with me that this seminar could not have been organized at a better time than now when our country is continuously recording serious and widespread cases of human-wildlife conflicts, which have been frequently raised by Honourable Members in Parliament, leading the Minister of Tourism to issue Ministerial Statements on the Government’s efforts to address the issue," Speaker Mutti said.

Speaker Mutti urged the Parliamentarians to diligently fulfill their roles as HWPOs and work towards ensuring harmony between communities and wildlife.

"Let us work together to ensure that our communities and wildlife coexist in harmony and that our children can inherit a Zambia where people and wildlife thrive together," she added.

Speaking earlier, Minister of Tourism, Hon Rodney Sikumba praised the Parliamentarians for their commitment to collaborating with the ministry to further wildlife conservation efforts.

He noted that with the country’s current 20 National Parks and 36 Game Management Areas, there is still a need for more wildlife officers. He added that with MPs stepping in as Honorary Wildlife Police Officers, there will be a more coordinated effort to address human-wildlife conflicts and enhance conservation efforts.

Meanwhile, Wildlife Crime Prevention Chief Compliance Officer, Josias Mungabwa said WCP is pleased to learn that government through the Ministry of Tourism is reviewing the Wildlife Act. He hoped that the Parliamentarians would give the Act the necessary support.

Mr Mungabwa further called on the Parliamentarians, through Speaker Mutti, to advocate for stronger wildlife protection laws and ensure adequate resources are allocated for wildlife protection agencies and conservation programs. He said these resources would support awareness campaigns, detection, investigation and prosecution efforts.

And Zambia Parliamentary Caucus on Environment and Climate Change Chairperson George Kandafula reaffirmed his commitment to resolving human-wildlife conflicts.

Game Rangers International Chief Executive Officer, Sport Beatie also underscored the importance of Parliamentary influence in driving legal reforms to effectively tackle the challenge of human-wildlife conflicts.