Chieftainess Kaputa ‘banishes’ ZAWA warden

Acting Chieftainess Kaputa of the Tabwa speaking people in Northern province has called for the immediate transfer of Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) Nsumbu Game Management unit area warden, Kamuti Simushi.

The traditional leader, who made the request to both Northern Province Minister Freedom Sikazwe and Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Davies Mwango said she does not want the ZAWA official in the district.

She argued that the area warden, unlike his predecessor, has no respect for the traditional leadership in the area.

Chieftainess Kaputa has since asked the two ministers, who went by a helicopter to Kaputa, to reserve space in the plane and carry the area warden with them when they leave the area.

“I am asking that you reserve some space in the chopper so that you can carry the warden. We do not want him in the district,” said the Chieftainess.

The traditional leader said this when the two ministers, who are in the area to check on the flood situation, called on her at the palace in Kaputa April 28th.

She has further requested that the former area Warden, Isaac Kashitu who was transferred to Mfuwe, be brought back to the district.

The chieftainess did not give other reasons to have Mr. Simushi transferred apart from alleging that he has no respect to the traditional leadership.

She added that she has a good working relationship with all the government officials in the district apart from the ZAWA area warden.

“I have no problem with all the people that you gave us in the district except for one person whom I do not want to see, the area warden for ZAWA,” she said.

Mr. Simushi has been complaining that some people from surrounding chiefdoms were illegally settling in the Mweru Wantipa national park.

He has since arrested a number of people over the illegal acts and some the arrested have been convicted while others are appearing before the courts of law.

Efforts to get a comment from Mr. Simushi failed as he was reportedly in a meeting.