Sitting Member of Zambia's Parliament Awarded 'Cull' contract

In breaking news, questions in regard the legitimacy of the contracts awarded to 'cull' the hippos in Zambia has come to light.

Mr Jacob (Jack) Shuma, a businessman and professional hunting outfitter in the seat of Malambo (Mfuwe area), was elected in a by-election and sworn into Zambia's government on 2nd July 2015.  [1]

The ZAWA (now DNPW) contract to 'cull' hippos in the South Luangwa area was awarded to two companies, Mabwe Adventures and Mr Jack Shuma some time in November or December 2015. [2]

If Mr Shuma MP was a sitting Member of Parliament at the time, did the Minister for Tourism or the Director General of DNPW know of his personal or private interest in the 'cull'?

The burden of proof is on The Director of DNPW, Paul Zyambo and Tourism Minister Hon. Jean Kapata to disclose, in the public interest, the procedure used to award the contract, in accordance with all relevant legislation pertaining, for a government operation to a sitting member of parliament.

Is Mabwe Adventures Zambia Limited (registration number12015013436) a properly constituted Zambian Company and is one of the principles a government employee at the time the contract was awarded?

Mabwe Adventures was registered with PACRA on 21 Day of July 2015. One of the principles, Flavian Mupemo was allegedly an employee of ZAWA at the time of the transaction. Listing in the PACRA document as a Businesswoman not a businessman as is the case in the gender of, Mr Mupemo is confirmed as having been, for a considerable period of time, a paid employee of ZAWA. [3]

Another principle of Mabwe Adventures, Mr Leon Pierre Joubert is listing on the registration document as a Zambian citizen, he is however confirmed to be a South African businessman from Gauteng, ZA. Mr Joubert is the registered owner of a South African mine. Mr Joubert appears to also have an interest in (or ownership of) other tourism operations in a number of other countries on the African continent. Of note and concern is that the required document of proof recorded on the PACRA registration is what appears to be a false Zambian citizenship document number. The number provided appears to be an unknown Country of Origin passport number.

Questions as to the legitimacy of both contracted parties, Mr Jack Shuma MP and Mabwe Adventures Zambia Limited must be answered by the Department or the Ministry for the public to have faith in the legality or legitimacy of the contracts.

______________________________
FOOTNOTES

[1] http://www.parliament.gov.zm/node/4321
[2] Registered Principles of Mabwe Adventures

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NELSON NG'ANDU

FLAVIAN CHISHIMBA MUPEMO

LEON PIERRE JOUBERT

[3] Any intelligence regarding Mr Mupemo's employment status from 21 July 2015 to 31st December 2015 can be sent to hippowhistler [at] gmail.com anonymity guaranteed.

Image source: http://www.parliament.gov.zm/node/4321

Born Free Media Release 4 July 2016

Zambia’s on-off hippo cull on again!

Born Free calls for independent Presidential inquiry and a permanent halt to the killing

Two thousand of Africa's increasingly rare hippo, living in the wildlife haven of Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, face the renewed threat of terror and death, following a meeting held in Lusaka on Wednesday 22nd June.

Will Travers OBE, President and CEO of Born Free Foundation, stated: “Leaving aside the moral and ethical arguments and Born Free's consistent opposition to culling, we are asking for urgent clarification on a number of key issues and the publication of all scientific evidence that might support such drastic measures.”

International and Zambian opposition to the cull has been widely reported in the media.

A temporary suspension of the cull, announced on 14th June, was, according to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), to allow for “extensive consultation”. However, following the brief meeting in Lusaka on Wednesday 22nd June it now appears the hiatus is over and the cull is set to resume.

This “invitation only” meeting was called by Stephen Mwansa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism & Arts, and Paul Zyambo, Director of DNPW. The company contracted by DNPW to carry out the cull, Mabwe Adventures, was in attendance, along with only one local stakeholder, the Luangwa Safari Association - representing safari camps and lodges in South Luangwa National Park.

Information from Zambia indicates that DNPW is now poised to push ahead with the cull of 2,000 hippos over five years using paying trophy hunters, as was recently promoted on Theo De Marillac Safaris’ website.

Why this decision has been taken, and on what basis, remains shrouded in secrecy. In light of this, Born Free Foundation wrote to the President of Zambia, His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on 27th June, requesting the cull be abandoned and that key information pertaining to DNPW’s justifications for the cull to be made publically available. To date, no response has been forthcoming.

Born Free Foundation, together with other wildlife conservation and animal protection organisations, believe that five critical issues still need to be addressed:

1.    DNPW has, to date, failed to provide robust, scientific evidence demonstrating that there is an overpopulation of hippos in the Luangwa River, or to make public the Government of the Republic of Zambia report that they have cited in their justification
2.    DNPW has failed to provide robust, scientific evidence clearly demonstrating that previous hippo culls in the Luangwa Valley have been successful in reducing the population over the long-term and that the culling methodology that has been proposed - targeting whole pods of hippos in the water - is humane
3.    DNPW has failed to provide rainfall and river level data showing that river levels and water flow in the Luangwa River are abnormally low and cannot sustain the current hippo population
4.    DNPW has failed to provide credible, scientific evidence to show that such an indiscriminate hippo cull would prevent a future outbreak of anthrax - not prevent the spread of an existing outbreak - as there isn't one
5.    DNPW has failed to provide categorical evidence that an approved and transparent tendering process took place in awarding the culling contract to Mabwe Adventures, of which an ex-Zambia Wildlife Authority employee, Flavian Mupemo, is a shareholder and beneficiary.

Given the highly contentious nature of culling; the unanswered questions raised above; the possible conflict of interest; and the concerns about the lack of transparency of the tendering process, Born Free Foundation is calling for the planned cull to be abandoned and for the matter to be investigated at the highest possible level by an independent inquiry, established under the auspices of The Office of The President.

Travers added: “The longer these vitally important issues go unanswered, the more the authorities come up with different and, as yet, unsubstantiated justifications for the cull, the more Zambia - one of Africa's great wildlife strongholds - will suffer lasting reputational and potentially economic damage. The independent inquiry, called for by Born Free, seems to me the only way to establish the truth and determine whether any of the claimed justifications for the cull - a measure which could see 2,000 wild hippo lose their lives - can withstand the scrutiny they deserve.”

ENDS

               
FOR ALL PRESS ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT BORN FREE'S PR DEPARTMENT:

Shirley Galligan, PR Director T: 0207 792 9668 M: 07773 848352
Beth Brooks, Press Officer T: 01403 246903 M: 07544 209256
Victoria Lockwood, PR Officer T: 01403 240170 M: 07814 284756
____________________________________________________
               
Notes to Editors:

 

About Born Free

The Born Free Foundation is a dynamic international wildlife charity, devoted to compassionate conservation and animal welfare. Born Free takes action worldwide to protect threatened species and stop individual animal suffering. Born Free believes wildlife belongs in the wild and works to phase-out zoos. We rescue animals from lives of misery in tiny cages and give them lifetime care.

Born Free protects lions, elephants, tigers, gorillas, wolves, polar bears, dolphins, marine turtles and many more species in their natural habitat, working with local communities to help people and wildlife live together without conflict. Our high-profile campaigns change public attitudes, persuade decision-makers and get results. Every year, Born Free helps hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide. For more information about Born Free please visit: www.bornfree.org.uk



               
               

 

News from the River Horse's Mouth

A RIVER RUNS RED
Byline: Hermione River-Horse,  from the River Express. 
19 June - Dry Season, Zambia

 

Hermione River-Horse is an African correspondent covering issues affecting her species, the environment and the African continent for the River Express. She is a Gold Watermark winning journalist.*

 ________________________

Here on the banks of the Luangwa River a tragedy is unfolding, in the past few weeks at least 6 hippos have been shot, skinned and butchered [1].  We took to the sand bars to ask the affected Hippos how the killing is impacting their community.

It’s 5 am and the air and river is cool. The river’s levels are lowish, but nothing out of the ordinary, similar to other seasons at the same time of year. I have come out to interview the hippos in the South Luangwa National Park (SLNP), but these incidents that have so impacted their family are to be repeated in multiple locations along the Luangwa River in the Luangwa Valley as well as here in South Luangwa, also at Luambe NP and North Luangwa NP.  Reportedly up to 2000 hippos will lose their lives in the killing seasons.

The scene appears peaceful, but as I approach the pod of hippos I can hear their levels of concern. Many have just returned from the night shift. The rumbles and snorts louder than usual, they are upset and stressed. No-one wants to be seen on camera. Names have been changed to protect identity.

*This is the transcript and description of those interviews.  

[READ MORE]

Born Free Foundation Media Release - 15th June 2016

For Immediate Release 15th June 2016

 

Zambia’s hippos safe – for now

Decision to suspend cull follows high-profile campaign led by Born Free

International wildlife charity, Born Free Foundation, has welcomed the Zambian authorities’ decision to suspend a highly controversial cull of 400 hippopotamuses a year over the next five years in the Luangwa River Valley, following a high-profile campaign led by Born Free and supported by international experts and Zambian nationals.

According to an official statement from the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) the cull, which started last month, was being suspended to allow for further consultation with stakeholders. Born Free will continue to closely monitor events.

Born Free President and Co-Founder, Will Travers OBE, stated: “Leaving aside the ethical dimension – whether it is morally acceptable to kill hundreds of healthy animals to prevent a possible future outbreak of a disease – other important questions remain to be answered. Is there an overpopulation of hippo and on what is this evaluation based? Is culling an effective anthrax control strategy and, again, where is the evidence?”

There has been widespread shock and outrage on social media since news of the cull was reported last week by Born Free. The distressing news made headlines across the world and may have prompted the decision of the authorities to suspend the cull.

Though the cull was reportedly sanctioned by DNPW as a ‘wildlife management tool’ to prevent the possible future spread of anthrax among wild animals (although, for the first time, the DNPW is now claiming low river levels as a justification), the killing was opened up to non-Zambian trophy hunters. A five-year hunting contract had been awarded to Mabwe Safaris, and was being marketed by a South African hunting company called De Marillac Safaris.

Travers added: “I sincerely hope that, on reflection, the DNPW will decide to permanently abandon plans for a cull. Were they to recommence the killing, without doubt there would be members of the safari-going public who would decide to spend their money elsewhere to view Africa’s magnificent wildlife legacy.”

ENDS
 ___________________

FOR ALL PRESS ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT BORN FREE'S PR DEPARTMENT:

Shirley Galligan, PR Director T: 0207 792 9668 M: 07773 848352
Beth Brooks, Press Officer T: 01403 246903 M: 07544 209256
Victoria Lockwood, PR Officer T: 01403 240170 M: 07814 284756
 ____________________

Notes to Editors:

About Born Free

The Born Free Foundation is a dynamic international wildlife charity, devoted to compassionate conservation and animal welfare. Born Free takes action worldwide to protect threatened species and stop individual animal suffering. Born Free believes wildlife belongs in the wild and works to phase-out zoos. We rescue animals from lives of misery in tiny cages and give them lifetime care.

Born Free protects lions, elephants, tigers, gorillas, wolves, polar bears, dolphins, marine turtles and many more species in their natural habitat, working with local communities to help people and wildlife live together without conflict. Our high-profile campaigns change public attitudes, persuade decision-makers and get results. Every year, Born Free helps hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide. For more information about Born Free please visit: www.bornfree.org.uk