……as CSO calls on Speaker to censure Hon. Tembo..
The Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) is shocked by Luangwa’s Feira Member of Parliament Emmanuel Tembo’s remark that Zambia has no protected area including Lower Zambezi National Park except the stomach.
CEJ Executive Director Maggie Mwape is therefore disappointed with Mr. Tembo’s political rhetoric on a sensitive environmental issue through a radio interview in response to CEJ suggesting that Mwembeshi Resources mine could be given alternative land in another part of the country instead of Lower Zambezi National Park.
Ms. Mwape says Mr. Tembo’s remark contradicts the Head of State, His Excellency, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema’s total commitment towards Environmental Protection both at local and international levels.
She says President Hichilema showed commitment when he signed the “Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forest and Land use and established a dedicated Ministry of Green Economy and Environment to help the nation realise sustainable development and the green agenda.
Ms. Mwape has taken strong exception to the innuendoes in Mr. Tembo’s remarks about CEJ as an organisation.
She says CEJ has since chosen to refrain from making a direct reaction to the unsubstantiated innuendoes fueled by political expediency.
The CEJ Executive Director says the Lawmaker is bringing the legal profession and Zambian Parliament into disrepute due to failure to recognise the sanctity of our constitution.
Ms. Mwape says it is unfortunate that a policy maker who is a qualified lawyer would state that there is no such a thing as a protected area in Zambia as “the only protected area is the stomach.”
She says uttering careless statements in the public media is an insult to the authority enshrined in Zambia’s Constitution.
Ms. Mwape says protected areas such as forest reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and others have been established in line with the provisions of the constitution.
She says the Constitution, among other things outlines the principles of the land policy, natural resource management and development.
“It contains dedicated articles that deal with inter alia degradation including the polluter-pays-principle, protection of sensitive cultural and ecological sites, a precautionary approach in the event of scientific uncertainty, rehabilitation of degraded areas, measures for a clean, safe, and healthy environment, prevention of harmful use of the environment, waste management, public participation, enforcement of environmental standards and establishment of mechanisms to address climate change,” Ms. Mwape said.
The CEJ Executive Director said Hon. Tembo’s statement was a direct mockery to internationally recognised Conventions, Treaties and Agreements on environmental sustainability and sustainable development in general to which Zambia is a signatory.
“We understand that being a politician, Hon. Tembo may be trying to advance his political agenda of ensuring that he takes the necessary development to his constituency. Without doubt, this is a noble cause but one which must not be pursued with insincerity, factual inaccuracies, and deliberate thrust to mislead stakeholders and the public. Needless to remind Honourable Tembo about the sanctity of the position of Member of Parliament, he took oath to protect and honour the constitution,” she said.
Ms. Mwape stated that as a Member of Parliament, Mr. Tembo represented the larger masses in both his constituency and as a law maker at national level.
She said as a lawyer, CEJ expects Mr. Tembo to be aware of the domestic, regional, and international legal and policy frameworks relevant to the matter at hand.
“Hon. Tembo is undermining the current President’s commitment to environmental protection and ecosystem restoration. He is also belittling internationally recognized treaties and conventions that support the existence and value of protected areas. His remarks distort the collective image of Zambia’s policy makers, seeing that a Member of Parliament who is a law and policy maker disregards the existence of protected areas and their ascribed value,” Ms. Mwape said.
The CEJ Executive Director therefore, called on the MP not to stifle good environmental governance by disparaging protected areas and undermining Environmental Civil Society organisations when they give expert opinion on issues of national interest.
“Rather, we encourage him to engage in constructive dialogue on this and other national matters with the decorum expected of his office as a Member of Parliament. The Law Association of Zambia to censure Hon. Tembo. His remarks are totally inconsistent with their aspirations as a professional body and a total affront to the Constitution and its sanctity,” she said.
Ms. Mwape called on the Speaker of the National Assembly to censure Mr. Tembo for bringing the Parliament into disrepute.
“His statement is bordering on denying or disregarding the role of Parliament which passed the legislations which provide for the establishment of different categories of protected areas and questioning the sanctity of the constitution,” she said.
