Zambian Ministry Of Tourism Holds Human-Wildlife Conflict Stakeholders Meeting

Lusaka – 13/08/2025

The Ministry of Tourism today convened a multi-stakeholder meeting at Radison Blu Hotel in Lusaka to address the growing challenge of Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) in Zambia.

The meeting brought together representatives from government ministries, traditional leaders, cooperating partners, conservation organisations, community resource boards and the private sector to discuss practical solutions to ensure the safety and livelihoods of communities living near wildlife areas, while safeguarding the country’s biodiversity.

Speaking during the opening session, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Mr. Evans Muhanga said the Government is committed to finding balanced solutions that protect both human lives and wildlife.

"Human-wildlife conflict is not merely an environmental challenge it is a social, economic and developmental issue. We must address it in a way that ensures harmony between people and wildlife while promoting tourism and rural development.

Through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, we are strengthening early warning systems, increasing community awareness, and supporting innovative deterrent methods to reduce conflict," Mr. Muhanga said.

Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) Director, Dominic Chiinda, reaffirmed the department’s role as first responders in mitigating conflict situations.

"Our teams, including village scouts and community resource boards, are on the frontline every day. We are enhancing rapid response capacity, introducing non-lethal deterrents such as chilli-based repellents, and working closely with traditional leaders to create safe zones for both people and wildlife," the DNPW Director said.

Cooperating partners, including international conservation NGOs and development agencies, shared best practices and pledged continued support for Zambia’s Human Wildlife Conflict mitigation efforts. They emphasised the need for:

-Long-term investment in community-led conservation initiatives.

-Greater integration of local knowledge in wildlife management.

-Strengthened cross-border collaboration to address migratory wildlife challenges.

-Support for research and innovation in HWC prevention technologies.

-Development of a National Human-Wildlife Conflict Strategy.

The meeting further agreed that the solutions to human-wildlife conflict requires a united approach for all voices to be heard and ensures that future actions are not only government-led but co-owned by communities, conservationists and the private sector.

The Ministry described the meeting as a milestone in Zambia’s ongoing efforts to balance conservation goals with community needs, adding that the resolutions made will guide both immediate and long-term interventions in HWC management

The meeting concluded with stakeholders agreeing to develop a set of joint recommendations to guide immediate and long-term action on HWC management, aligned with Zambia’s conservation and tourism objectives.

Issued by

Nelly Banda, Principal Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Tourism

Banda.Nelly@mot.gov.zm

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Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (15th September 2025) Boy Killed by Elephant in Livingstone.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (13th August 2025) Zambian Ministry Of Tourism Holds Human-Wildlife Conflict Stakeholders Meeting.

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Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (28th June 2025) Elephant kills wildlife accountant in Livingstone-Zambia.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (3rd April 2025) Roaming elephants a giant headache for Zambia.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (2nd April 2025) Over 100 elephants have migrated into Livingstone, DNPW warns.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (1st April 2025). Elephants and Hippos Threaten Lives of Livingstone Residents.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (22nd June 2024) Elephant kills American tourist in Zambia.

See also (external links, open in a new window):

Living with giants (www.worldwildlife.org, Spring 2025)

When hungry elephants and people clash (www.npr.org, March 2025)

The Elephant Whisperers of Livingstone (worldpressphoto.org, 2025)

Curfew in Livingstone (nhm.ac.uk, 2024)

Human-Wildlife Conflict In Dambwa South, Livingstone Zambia (https://uncoverkavangozambezi.com/, 2023)

Victoria Falls residents decimate Chamabondo National Park

SOME suburbs in Victoria Falls have been without electricity for a decade and residents have been cutting down trees for firewood causing massive deforestation in the nearby Chamabondo National Park.

The Victoria Falls City council management has expressed concern over the cutting down of trees which is an environmental hazard.

Hlalani Kuhle, BC846, BC847 which have been in existence for about a decade as well as CBZ stands that were built starting in 2016 have no electricity.

Some electricity poles still lie on the ground where Zesa electricians dumped them a few years ago.

Residents use firewood, charcoal, gas and solar energy. Many poach firewood from the bush where they usually have running battles with anti-poaching teams from the local authority, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and other private organisations.

A news crew spoke to some of the residents who said they risk their lives from being attacked by wildlife or shot by rangers as they fetch firewood in the bush.

They said life is unbearable and implored authorities to urgently look into the matter and connect electricity to the area.

“We usually monitor the movement of rangers and enter the bush mostly during lunch time or towards the evening when they stop patrolling. We have had several encounters with rangers and anti-poaching units and those who fail to run away get arrested and usually are made to pay spot fines or at the police,” said one of the residents, Ms Sithulisiwe Ncube of CBZ.

Ms Saneliso Dube of BC846 said she has resorted to gas because of the running battles with rangers.

“We still have no electricity here and I now use gas and charcoal for cooking. We wish one day Zesa will connect us because we are tired of buying charcoal,” she said.

Ms Molly Tonono of CBZ stands said they need electricity ironing, cooking and charging electrical gadgets.

Some said they struggle to work from home as they cannot use electrical gadgets such as laptops and phones because of lack of electricity.
A few fortunate ones have installed solar panels for lighting and connecting electrical gadgets.

Victoria Falls City mayor Councillor Somveli Dlamini said the council has engaged Energy and Power Development as well as Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry ministries over the issue.

He said residents resort to haphazard cutting of trees because they are desperate.

“Deforestation was necessitated by failure by the power utility to connect the suburbs to the grid. Some of the suburbs were built in 2010 but still have no electricity and residents get into the bush for firewood. We hope Zesa will act faster in erecting the poles they delivered some time ago,” Cllr Dlamini said.

Acting Zesa spokesperson Ms Prisca Utete could not be reached on her mobile phone for comment but a source within the power utility said the company is struggling to get transformers to connect new suburbs.

Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu who was in Victoria Falls last week, said Government was aware of the issue after being approached by the local authority and is worried about cutting down of trees hence measures would be taken to address the situation.-@NyikaLingani

Source: Victoria Falls residents decimate Chamabondo National Park (31/03/21)