ZAMBIA – DRC MUKULA TRANSIT DEAL EFFECTED

By PETER SICHALITHE deal for the transportation of Mukula logs through Zambia by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is now in effect, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Jean Kapata has confirmed.Ms Kapata assured that Government had put in place stringent measures to ensure that the logs exit the country without affecting the ongoing ban on the export of the commodity.Last year, over K2 million was raised by the State through inspection and escort fees for trucks carrying Mukula logs transiting through Zambia from the DRC.Ms Kapata said Zambia had agreed with the Congolese counterparts to allow exports of rosewood commonly known as Mukula through the country again.This was after the initial deal came to an end in June last year.Ms Kapata said security had been put in place to ensure that the Zambian Mukula was not smuggled out of the country as a result of the DRC deal.“In ensuring that Zambian Mukula is not exported along the way, we are providing security escorts to the tracks transporting Mukula logs from the point of entry to the exit point,” Ms Kapata said.Ms Kapata said Zambia was signatory to SADC protocol to allow other countries transit through the country“So we have allowed Congo DR to transit Mukula through Zambia especially that both Congo and Zambia are land locked countries, the only difference is that we still have a ban on Mukula,” Ms Kapata said.She said Zambia had allowed DRC to transit Mukula logs through the country up to 2021.“The country is benefitting from the transit of Mukula logs from the Democratic Republic of Congo because they pay for the logs to transit through Zambia,” Ms Kapata said.