Council bans harvesting of trees from Thambani Forest

Mwanza District Council has banned uncertified businesspeople from harvesting trees and tree-related products from Thambani Forest Reserve to protect the reserve from depletion.

The ban was endorsed recently at a meeting attended by the council chairperson, councillor Moses Walota, member of Parliament (MP) for Mwanza West and Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Paul Chibingu, and legislator for Mwanza Central Constituency Davis Katsonga.

Also in attendance at the meeting were senior chiefs and councillors.

Walota said, among other things, the council has instructed the district forestry office (DFO) to stop issuing licences to businesspeople trading in wood items and planks.

“We have agreed that no license should be given to anyone to have access to our prestigious forest reserve. No forestry officer is allowed to guide sawyers or anyone to plunder our forest reserve,” Walota said.

He said anyone violating these rules and regulations will face the law.

But Chibingu, whose constituency hosts part of the reserve, asked the council to give businesspersons already in the forest a seven-day grace period to allow them to pack their tools.

Senior Chief Nthache also committed himself to the sensitisation campaign aimed at raising awareness on the need to preserve natural resources, including forests.