Chief wants forestry Officers out of his area

Group Village Headman Bwanaisa of Traditional Authority Mkhumba in Phalombe district says he will not rest until government transfers or dismisses forestry officers working in his area, who he alleges are contributing to deforestation through corrupt acts.

Bwanaisa made the remarks on Tuesday in an interview with Malawi News Agency while responding to a query about corrupt practices involving forestry officers in the district, who allow illegal logging to be taking place at the tips of their fingers in exchange with money.

Last week, some sources told Malawi News Agency that some forestry officers in the district were pocketing money from illegal harvesters of timber to allow them conduct timber business behind government’s back.

“It has become a tradition in this area that when one wants to build a house they have to consult with the community based forestry officers and pay a certain amount (K20, 000 for a standard 2 bedroomed house) so that they can be allowed to go up the Mountain and cut down trees to saw timber,” said one source Brian Ingolo.

Concurring with Ingolo’s allegations, GVH Bwanaisa said the situation is getting worse because the illegal loggers are targeting the protected national tree, Mulanje Cedar.

Said Bwanaisa, “on Monday this week I met one of the illegal loggers carrying cedar timbers and when I asked him why he was in possession of the prohibited timbers, he said he had already paid the forestry office through their local officers; a thing which I was sure was not lawful.”

He added that he apprehended the illegal harvester and handed him over to members of his community policing forum for him to face justice.

“I want these officers to vacate my area because they have done nothing but giving illegal harvesters permits to destroy Mulanje Mountain at the watch of citizens who struggle in attempts to replenish the trees on the Mountain,” Bwanaisa further added.

Diverting from commenting on removing his officers from the area, District Forestry Officer for Phalombe Erick Mbingwani expressed surprise over the corrupt practices allegations, saying they were news to his office. “We have not received any reports that our officers are engaging in such practice, however once we catch any of them in the act we can assure you that they will not be spared from justice,” said Mbingwani.

The area of Group Village Headman Bwanaisa is one of the catchments for Mulanje Mountain through which a lot of illegally harvested forest products pass in order to reach Phalombe district for marketing