By Staff Reporter
Ministry of Green Economy and Environment permanent Secretary John Msimuko says he is not aware that there was any ongoing investigation in the Ministry of Lands over the decision by former president Edgar Lungu’s daughter, Tasila to fence a gazetted National Forest, popularly known as Chimtengo in Sinda, Eastern Province.
Then Ministry of Lands permanent secretary in the PF administration Ndashe Yumba told Daily Revelation that the Ministry was investigating the matter after it was referred to them by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), after Colonel Panji Kaunda had reported Tasila to the Commission for fencing the Forest. However, Ndashe despite mentioning that Tasila had committed a criminal offence, said the Ministry was discussing with her to resolve it.
The Ministry however, went silent on the matter and what followed was the pulling down of the fence. Efforts to find out if the matter had been resolved as Yumba indicated, failed as the officials in charge of the Ministry then stopped taking calls from Daily Revelation, including Yumba himself.
But speaking with Daily Revelation, new permanent secretary Msimuko said matters pertaining to the forests fell under his ministry now, but that there was never a time when he discussed this with the Ministry of Lands.
“It never came to my attention. To this day I can say that confidently. I was not even aware that there was an ongoing investigation. I am just hearing it (in the press),” Msimuko said, adding that his knowledge of the matter was based on social media and traditional media reporting at the time the news broke through, and not in his new capacity as permanent secretary.
He said he was at Chimtengo around December 2021 during his normal course of duty, and got reports from the person responsible for the forest, including the Provincial Forest officer.
“This was not one of the things they briefed me on. So if it was such an important thing for the forest officers themselves it should have been one of the items,” said Msimuko. “However, I will ask the Ministry of Lands what they know about the matter so that we see if there is anything hanging that we need to pursue as a new ministry.”
Col Panji argued in reporting the matter that any person who erected a structure in the National Forest had committed a criminal offence.
