Activist Kajoloweka calls for audit into Viphya Plantation: ‘Malawi must stop Chikangawa forest plunder’

Youth and Society (YAS) executive director Charles Kajoloweka has revealed a lot of foul play is taking place at the Viphya Plantation (Chikangawa Forest) – shared between the districts of Nkhata Bay and Mzimba – involving the illegal sale of trees, and has since called for an ‘audit’ into the dealings at the plantation so that wrong-doers can be booked.

Kajoloweka:  We need forest justice
Kajoloweka: We need forest justice
Deforestation at Viphya
Deforestation at Viphya

Kajoloweka, scheduled to leave the country mid-June for the US-Obama Youth Conference in Washington DC, said in an interview with Nyasa Times on the sidelines of a truck that was intercepted by the Malawi Police Service (MPS) at Lusangazi Road Block – a few kilometers before Mzuzu City.

The truck, registration number CA 8028 had on it more than 80 logs suspected not to be mature enough for harvesting.

Forest Officer at Lusangazi, a Mr. Phiri, is believed to have masterminded the scheme. He was arrested and later released on an unconditional bail, a move Kajoloweka described as “dubious”

Kajoloweka said it was not the “first time” that “unscrupulous” dealers at the plantation had been set scot-free.

Apparently, Nyasa Times understands, Phiri was released with instructions from “powers from above.”

Kajoloweka revealed government was “failing to embark on a comprehensive audit of the whole plant because senior public servants and politicians” were having a share of the plunder.

“Billions have been lost through unscrupulous means by politicians and government officials,” Kajoloweka.

He said YAS, which is running monitoring and evaluation projects in the plantation, wanted “an audit in this fiscal year.”

He said “lack of political will” on part of leaders including the incumbent leadership renders even Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regime “suspects” as far as the sharing of the “plunder” is concerned.

YAS, Kajoloweka warned, would publish “names of some politicians and senior government officials” should government fail to do the audit.

Kajoloweka called for a halt of the “madness” currently at play at Viphya.

The Viphya Plantation is regarded Africa’s third largest man-made forest. But since the dawn of the democratic regime, the plantation has been plundered heavily with no tree re-planting happening.

According research YAS has conducted “billions of kwacha” have been lost through unscrupulous endeavors.

Almost every day, truckloads of timber from the plantation are seen exiting the country’s borders – especially the Karonga-Songwe Border.

Nyasa Times further understands that the timber is mostly “imported by Tanzanian traders” who later “export to China” for mainly “construction activities.”

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Mmalawi Osathawa Xheno says

Achimwene andale okhawo ndiye asiyeni musayelekeze. Ndithu mupita muli mwana inu. Nanga mufuna zitsanzo za amalitiri omwe anafera nkhondo ngati mukufuna kuiyambiyo?

musolin
musolin
8 years ago

Dpp is the one that started plundering chikangawa forest…especially Mulli

Kadakwiza
Kadakwiza
8 years ago

Soon Malawi will start importing timber from outside our country. All because of useless leadership we had from 1994 until today. Malawi will stay poor because of greedy leaders we had from 1964.

Dr Mbewe
Dr Mbewe
8 years ago

Atumbuka are a confused pipo. Dr H Kamuzu Banda created this magnificent forest in the north but the tumbukas hated him for this, and now this democracy is doing democracy in chikangawa they are crying. What’s wrong with you tumbukas?.

PHIRI
PHIRI
8 years ago

The Chikangawa case is sad ! The current leadership must do something about it. We know he can hardly get good advice from his senior party and government officials for obvious reason that they too are culprits. Mr. President, you need to do something about Chikangawa

Tiyanjane
Tiyanjane
8 years ago

Kajoloweka, we your elders, have followed your selfless leadership and development work from your Mzuni College days. Community work is unquestionably a Calling. Fumu Yikudangilire mu vyose ivyo ukuwachitila wanyako wa sono na wara wamunthazi. Stay focused. Move on son.

Bick
8 years ago

May b soldiers must go ther to shoot every1 amene akampeze kuchikangawako komaso tikatero anthuwa akadya kuchipatala,leave them to finish it

Shebex
Shebex
8 years ago

Tembusha be humane are u sane enough?

Chidongo
Chidongo
8 years ago

Be courageous, hold the bull by its horns if you want impact. Otherwise good but too late and too little.

Munyalika
8 years ago

atumbuka simuzawatha basi anthu kwa zaka 50 kulimbana ndi atumbuka koma palibe chimene mwapindula more fire we will never relent

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