Fri, 12 Jan 2018 10:14:52 +0000
By KALOBWE BWALYA
ZAMBIA Revenue Authority (ZRA) should start tracing where confiscated Mukula containers are coming from for the sake of transparency to the general public, says Lands and Natural Resources Minister Jean Kapata.
Speaking with the Daily Nation, Ms Kapata said as much as ZRA was doing a commendable job, there was need for the authority to reveal the source of Mukula including their address.
Ms Kapata said although Government has been confiscating illegal cargoes of Mukula, it was important to know the source and people who were involved.
The minister said people have been making false allegations that the confiscated Mukula logs belonged to some Government officials, therefore ZRA should reveal the owners.
Ms Kapata said Government needed to have full information where the logs were coming from so that the perpetrators could be brought to book.
She however said the involvement of ZRA and security wings had helped in curbing the illegal trade in the Mukula logs as well as arresting those involved in the illegal trade.
Ms Kapata said the officers will continue impounding trucks carrying the logs as a way of protecting the tree which was a viable national resource.
She also said her ministry was contemplating introducing custodial sentencing for those engaged in illegal trade of the Mukula tree.
“We appreciate the good works the ZRA is doing, but all we are requesting for is that they should also be telling the nation the source of the confiscated Mukula logs, the address where they were coming from in order to clear public curiosity,” said Ms Kapata.
