Readers Have Their Say

No, I'm not going to write about unfortunate Spectator Kalaki nor about the worrisome development that someone's permit can be withdrawn at a moment's notice when someone else feels insulted on behalf of yet someone else.

I want to write about Mfuwe at Christmas when the President is in the Luangwa Valley. We were there at the same time. Would having the President, his family and entourage, driving around in the relatively small area between Mfuwe and Chichele inhibit our game-viewing enjoyment, we worried? In the event, it wasn't so bad. We never got to see the President nor his family, though we did see lots of his entourage and support troops, all deemed necessary to maintain such a VVIP.

It has been suggested that the President and his family have the right to go on holiday just like other people. Which is very true. But, unlike other people, the President goes with a huge entourage, takes over whole lodges,

and is ring-fenced by security. In this instance there were about 150 people living in and around Chichele for nearly two weeks. Imagine not only the cost but also the environmental impact!

It has also been suggested that the President, by visiting Chichele twice in three years, demonstrated his commitment to wildlife and environment. I beg to differ. The first we noticed of the President's presence was when, on the first morning drive (we had stopped to listen for a possible Pitta, a very rare bird), a pick-up truck barrelled past, loaded with a quartered buffalo. What on earth?!! It was going to feed the President's men, we were told.

Then the President's Special Assistant was seen zooming up and down the main Chichele-Mfuwe road in red car and plume of dust, ignoring all speed limits. Later, shots were heard in the GMA: scouts were shooting game to feed the multitudes.

Who were these multitudes? First of all the President, his children cum State House entourage plus attendant security detail who had come by Challenger. Then, a day later, the First Lady (we saw her sweeping past in four 4x4s) with her own entourage who had also come by Challenger. Because the First Family needed protecting, soldiers were camped out around Chichele Lodge. They'd come by truck. The gallant defence forces too needed protecting - from lions and hyenas (the soldiers' cooking fires must have smelt delicious to the Chichele pride, the lions that roam the Lodge vicinity) and things that go hoo-hoo in the night - so local ZAWA scouts were added. Then there were the Service Chiefs and regional chiefs and MMD faithful from near and far who came to see H.E. in planes, cars, pickups, minibuses and trucks.

What about water for so many? The Chichele area is notoriously short of the stuff (Chichele, meaning 'salt', indicates what the water from that area tastes like and what it does to pumps and pipes) and has to be trucked in for Lodge clients. In this instance lots more water had to be supplied; we saw bowser after bowser travelling to and from Chichele. And where did all the firewood for all the cooking fires come from? I didn't see any being brought in and presume it was collected within the vicinity.

Was at least ZAWA happy during that time (animals and the environment certainly weren't) because they were collecting lots of park fees? No, they were not. I learnt later that none of the President's men or visitors paid any fees. After all, they were on duty!

Which brings me to the issue of park entry fees. ZAWA, despite Statutory Instrument of May 9, 2003, which was to regulate fees, has not implemented this SI.

At different parks different fees prevail:

1. At Lower Zambezi NP the entry fee for locals/residents is K25,000 per ENTRY and K12,500 per DAY for a car (a daily 'parking fee', I was told); $20 for foreigners. Also, strangely, in LZNP a day only lasts 12 hrs - from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. - they do not seem to know about 24hr days;

2. At SLNP/Nsefu Sector (Miliyoti Gate) the entry is $10 per DAY for locals; and $30 for foreigners (I have receipts);

3. At SLNP/Mfuwe Bridge the local charge is K10,080 per ENTRY ($20 for foreigners); plus K5,080 per car per ENTRY (no 'parking fees' here), i.e. the gate still charges the old rates;

4. At Mosi-oa-Tunya NP the per-DAY entry fees are: K15,200 for citizens, K18,900 for residents, $5 for foreigners, K12,600 per car. On the Zambezi, by the way, the day lasts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Who decides on these inconsistent charge rates? Fingers point to ZAWA HQ in Lusaka even though, already in June of last year, Mr Kabeta assured me that circulars had been sent to all park gates, clarifying the issue. Maybe more circulars are necessary? Or, preferably, an announcement in the press detailing entry fees? Wouldn't that be nice.

Ilse Mwanza, Lusaka