Tourism Minister Urges People to Avoid Lighting Fires at Nyika-Vwaza National Parks

Malawi-In a call to action, Tourism Minister Vera Kamtukule has urged visitors to Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve to refrain from lighting fires that can endanger the park, writes Tionge Hara.

Kamtukule made the remarks on Thursday, April 20, 2023, during the event where she was the guest of honour for the unveiling of the plaque commissioning the 70 km fence line and the Thazima water scheme.

"I would like to ask for the officer in charge of Rumphi and Mzimba Districts to provide the community policing with guns so that anyone found lighting fires should face the law," Kamtukule said.

The Thazima water project is likely to benefit almost 33,000 people surrounding the Nyika-Vwaza national parks.

The whole project has been funded by the German government through KFW with an amount of K4.7 billion kwacha.

The chief executive officer of Peace Parks Foundation, the Malawi-Zambia project, Mr Werner Myburgh, emphasized the importance of taking care of natural resources and urged people to avoid bushfires.

"By doing so, the animals and the forests will be protected. We aren't using any other way of accessing the portable water because the water will come from the forests," he said.

Senior Chief Mpherembe welcomed the development and applauded the German government for it.

"We have suffered for so long, taking salty water, and we are happy now because the water will help ease the spread of waterborne diseases while the fence will protect the lives of people as well as their crops," he said.

The Thazima water project is expected to provide clean and potable water and protect the lives of people, crops, and animals.