Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela has dissolved the board of directors for the Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA).

And Chitotela says the animal capturing license in Luangwa National Park under chief Nsefu’s chiefdom issued by his predecessor Charles Banda was done legally.

Speaking at the press briefing at his ministry in Lusaka, Tuesday, Chitotela also said three licenses for game ranching were also issued to different game ranching companies.

“Going forward as a way of trying to shake and make things work, today, the 24th of September 2019, using the powers vested in me as the appointing authority, I have decided to dissolve the board of Directors for Zambia Tourism agency (ZTA). As you may be aware, the current board was appointed on 13th July, 2017 and their mandate was to run up to 12th of July 2020. The decision to dissolve the board has been taken in the context of reform that our ministry has embarked on to ensure that the promotion and marketing of tourism are taken to another level. Let me take this opportunity to thank ZTA board members under the chairmanship of Mr Peter Johns for their contribution in Zambia during their tenure of office,” Chitotela said.

And the minister urged the people of Mambwe District to be patient with government over the animal capturing exercise in the area.

“I have seen what is running on social media where there has been a seemingly an uprising protest by the people of Mambwe District under the leadership of senior chief Nsefu. I want to appeal to the traditional leadership in Mambwe that when you appeal to government, you need to give government a chance to investigate the matter. I must state that the license issued by my predecessor for animal capturing was not an illegal license. It was done according to the law. I was told that there were three licenses that were issued for capture. The license was supposed to be issued to Munyama for game ranching,” said Chitotela.