Malawi army soldiers slash crops in protected forest areas

Over 40 soldiers took some villagers by surprise when they slashed crops in over 100 hectares of land in the protected Mua Lifulezi forest in chief Kachindamoto’s area in Dedza.

Solidiers in barbaric destruction of the staple maize crop

District Forestry officer Alick Mitawa confirmed his department engaged the soldiers after the villagers failed to respond to calls not to cultivate in the forest.

“Actually, they have now enchroached over 1000 hectares of land and the soldiers have so far reclaimed over 100 hectares. The process is still going on,” he said.

The forestry officer said the government would do everything to ensure that its stops environment degradation due to such farming malpractices.

Chief Kachindamoto said it was not true that the government did not give notice before telling soldiers to invade the forest.

“My subjects were given all the time, they were warned not to cultivate in the protected areas because the consequences are huge,” she said.

She said her area is suffering from environmental degradation because of such bad farming practices which she said must stop.

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Tione
Tione
7 years ago

Mmene ndaimvera nkhaniyi, anthuwa akhala akuuzidwa kwa nthawi yaitali koma kusamvera kwawo. Apa boma linachita dala kuwasiya kuti mbewu zikule litatopa ndikuwauza kuti adzatchetche chitakula kuti zidzawapweteke. Apa tisataye nthawi ndi kuloza zala asilikali ayi koma vuto ndi la anthuwo amaona ngati poti m’mbuyo monsemu amawasiya kukolola ndiye kuti awaloleza kuchitabe mchitidwe wosamverawu namapitilra kulowerera kulima malo oletsedwa. Tinganene kuti izi ndi zofuna zawo chifukwa kumvera kuposa msembe yopsereza. Ndiye boma linangopanga za mwana akalira nyanga ya msatsi, msemere kuti imufotere yekha. Si ku Dedza kokha kwachitika zoterezi ayi. Ku Lilongwe pafupi ndi Kamuzu Central Hospital chimanga chokongola chatchedwanso. Pano… Read more »

chiku byson
chiku byson
7 years ago

If da people were given notice in advanced as claimed palibe cholakwika asilikali achita bho a

Msazafulu Dums.
Msazafulu Dums.
7 years ago

Anthuwa nzitsiru palibe boma lomwe lingakwanise ngakhale ili la DPP ndi nyasi kwambiri komabe sizimva monga anthu aja aku lower Shire chaka chilichose kumakamba za iwo koma ayi palibe chimachitika.

Dambwe
Dambwe
7 years ago

Zamanyazi…solider instead of protecting lake Malawi territory bush kudula chimanga?! Aaaaa soldier ameneyo!

CHALONGONGA
7 years ago

i come from the same area,my own sister has a farm in the said forest reserve..This forest used to be great just a decade ago,but what people has done to this forest is very pathetic. fetching firewood was a simple task then,we could go to the forest to hunt for animals but now u cant even find a hare..To me the soldiers have done nothing wrong,,in fact they could have done this long time a go before.This measures should also extend to charcoal burners who are clearing the once mighty Kirk range like there is no tomorrow..Zoona mpkaka masuku amchire… Read more »

Mawa ndiwe
Mawa ndiwe
7 years ago

Lets also slash all these thieves in the Government, i think this can help than slashing chakudya cha mawa in the name of kuti anthu samava, kenako muziti kuli njara while anthuwa mukanatumizila Phokosolo asanaymbe kulima, mudye Nkhalangoyo ndipo mukhute. Anthu fertilizer akulephera kugula ndipo pamene apeza pa chonde ndimene analimapo, bwanji osawaphunzitsa zavuto loononga Nkhalango? Nanga ufulu wokhala ndi chakudya apa ulipo? Ali ndi ana, Khisimisi yubwerayi adzakudyerani chani?Mfuma ndi anthu, ngati mumawaunikila ndikulephera kukuveran ,muli ndivuto ndinu Afumu. Umphawi wachuluka ku Malawi kuno anthu atani? za chamba basi!! muganiza kuti mwai wanvura tilinawo lerou mawa udzakhalanso womweu? Dziko… Read more »

Khondie
Khondie
7 years ago

how were they allowed to farm the land in the first place? It appears Malawi is good at post measure other than pre-measures. It would be wise to prevent them in the first place, even if it were to use the soldiers. Ndirande Hill, Soche Hill are the other ‘victims’ of the same encroachments; people are building ‘mansions’ let alone farming yet the government is just sending warnings which have been with ‘us’ for a long time now…….the same old songs are being sung in different tunes. People are still building, still farming, and the government? still watching or waiting… Read more »

Opinion
Opinion
7 years ago
Reply to  Khondie

Khondie, chief Kachindamoto clearly states that her subjects were told NOT to cultivate in the protected area and that the consequences would be great! The consequences are the slashing of the maize. Stop sympathising with wrong doers even if it meant it involved maize growing. The law is there to be followed and not to be broken. MDF soldiers should slash all the maize in the protected area!

collins
collins
7 years ago
Reply to  Opinion

if we’ he the law y force because force some times means brutality & uncivilized community. rule of the law could ‘ ve been the best like the mj & thyolo situation.

Magufuli
Magufuli
7 years ago
Reply to  Khondie

What do you mean by “how were they allowed to blah blah blah!”? They were not allowed. But true to Malawian impudence they went ahead and cultivated.
Akanawasiya kuti akolole chaka cha mawa akanachitanso zomwenzo. Lets stop glorifying stupidity.

John Phiri
John Phiri
7 years ago

Anawayambira kale kuwaletsa and papita zaka zambirimbiri zikuchitika koma samamva ndiye tikamawamvra chisoni tizionanso zomwe anthuwo achita

mandaaliza
mandaaliza
7 years ago

I commend what Mr Mitawa and the Army has done. Malawians have a tendency of not obeying laws. The environment has been degraded up to extent that it will be impossible to repair it in future. The pipo of Kachindamoto were forewarned not to cultivate the area but defied the warning. The Forestry office and the Army deliberately waited until when the crops reached this stage kuti anthuwo zapweteke akatchetcha chitakula kuti asadzayambirenso kunyozera malamulo!!!!! Bravo Army. Continiue doing the same at Dzalanyama kuwotcha makala kutheretu ku nkhalango imeneyo. Don’t forget phiri la Mulanje mubwerenso anthu akudulabe mitengo ya Cedar… Read more »

mabusa
mabusa
7 years ago

Uuuuuuuuuh! shame i don’t think that was the better way to deal with that problem. why couldn’t you wait till they harvest? is this the way to develop the country, to alleviate hunger? people have wasted time, effort and resources. uuuuuuh! we never heard such barbaric acts by malawi govt. so what have you benefited from slashing the maize crop at that stage. why didn’t you wait till they harvest then you reason together with them not to use the protected land. where were you when they (people) were making ridges why that same time you acted. ooooooh! ok! you… Read more »

aabwino
aabwino
7 years ago
Reply to  mabusa

The government has done good and there nothing satanic here. It is the people who are satanic because they are failing to listen and comply with simple instructions from the people in authority. The government need not be politically correct on this issue. Destroying the environment is satanic. We destroy the environment in order to meet our selfish desires.

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