Published on September 1st, 2015 | by lawilink
ELEPHANTS CAUSING UNREST
ELEPHANTS CAUSING UNREST TO RESIDENTS AROUND LIWONDE NP
Residents around Liwonde National Park have expressed worry over continued invasion and destruction of crop and property by elephants in their territory. Speaking in an interview, Samson Makwacha who hails from Traditional Authority in Machinga said elephants have been causing havoc though it is over three months after this year’s harvesting season. Makwacha whose house and crops were destroyed by the malicious elephants has asked the park officials to look seriously into the problem and arrest it as soon as possible.
Mphatso Maliza from Malombe in Mangochi also added his voice on this saying people around their area are failing to ply irrigation farming to supplement the little they harvested because elephants from park destroy the crop even before they are ripe. Maliza called on park officials to help on the matter.
While acknowledging the continued invasion of the elephants, Liwonde National Park Manager, Alick Makanjira attributed it to vandalism of fence around the park. Makanjira said while park officials are doing all they can to protect lives and property of residents around the park, residents should help in taking care of the fence that surrounds the protected area. “It is pathetic to see that the fence that was installed a year ago is in tatters today. If this tendency of vandalizing fence is left unchecked, we will continue experiencing same challenges of elephants destroying property and even killing people”, said Makanjira.
Meanwhile, Malawi Government through Ministry of Tourism Information, Tourism and Culture has handed over operations and management of Liwonde National Park to African NationalParks Networks, a South African based company, a thing which some quarters says will end invasion of elephants to areas around the park.
By Andrew Viano
