Central Province PS pledges to address human-elephant conflict

Central Province Permanent Secretary, Milner Mwanakampwe, says government has intensified efforts to relocate elephants that have been destroying houses, crop fields and maize barns in Ngabwe and Kapiri Mposhi districts. Dr Mwanakampwe says the government has engaged the Zambia…

Central Province Permanent Secretary, Milner Mwanakampwe, says government has intensified efforts to relocate elephants that have been destroying houses, crop fields and maize barns in Ngabwe and Kapiri Mposhi districts.

Dr Mwanakampwe says the government has engaged the Zambia Air Force to help drive the elephants away to designated areas.

The jumbos are reported to be in the Game Management Area (GMA) in the Zambezi National Park.

He told the media  in an interview that the elephants have been terrorising villagers in chief Chipepo’s area in Kapiri Mposhi and Chief Mukuwe’s area in Ngabwe districts, where two people have been killed since June this year.

Dr Mwanakampwe said two elephants involved in the attacks were subsequently killed by officers from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

He further stated that four more elephants have been reported to be destroying cassava fields, maize barns and huts in villages in the Swenga area of Ngabwe district.

He explained that the human-elephant conflict has been worsened by villagers encroaching on the GMA, which was traditionally a passage for elephants.

Dr Mwanakampwe has since assured residents that the remaining elephants will be driven into the Zambezi National Park within the next four days.