Natural Resources and Climate Change Minister Owen Chomanika has disclosed that eight forest guards were killed in the line of duty last year.
Chomanika has since decried attacks on forest guards by people who encroach into forests with the intention of illegally cutting down trees and charcoal burning.
He said this during a Zomba Mountain stakeholders’ meeting.
The meeting was convened to brainstorm on ways of saving trees on Zomba Mountain.
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“People who are destroying trees in our forests are now on the loose as they are killing some forestry officials they meet in protected forests. We, as a ministry, are saddened and condemn this vice in strongest terms. We are in the process of finalising procedures to ensure that almost all forest guards are armed so that they are able to protect themselves,” Chomanika said.
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He further said Malawi Defence Force soldiers would be deployed to Zomba Mountain this week.
On his part, Principal Secretary for Natural Resources and Climate Change Yusuf Nkungula said, in 2024, the ministry recruited 300 forest guards who have been deployed to 88 protected forest reserves across the country.
“We plan to recruit an additional 1,500 forest guards by the end of March this year to ensure improved security in our forests. By December last year, we managed to confiscate 26 cars that were caught in illegal transportation of forest products. All this shows our seriousness in taming environmental depletion practices,” Nkungula said.
Meanwhile, Zomba Malosa parliamentarian Grace Kwelepeta has proposed the establishment of a police unit on Zomba Mountain.
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Weighing in on the issue, Lake Chilwa Basin Management Trust Committee Chairperson Clement Chilima urged the ministry to uproot corruption amongst its officers.
“There are reports that some officers connive with people who destroy natural resources,” he said.
