The Zambia Wildlife Act is being reviewed to unlock the wildlife sub-sector’s economic potential, Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary Evans Muhanga has said.
Muhanga said the review would also align the Act with the provisions of the Constitution in addressing environmental management, natural resources, and decentralization.
He observed that once the existing Zambia Wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015 is updated, it would help to address the current and emerging issues in wildlife.
Muhanga described the tourism sector as vital to driving economic transformation and creating jobs in Zambia and noted the need to incorporate the National Decentralization Policy of 2013 and the National Parks and Wildlife Policy of 2018 to address the identified gaps.
He said adequate and relevant legislation was needed to manage wildlife as a serious national asset. Zambia has 20 national parks, 36 game management areas, and two wildlife sanctuaries.
He was speaking at the National Stakeholder Validation Meeting for the Zambia Wildlife and Protected Areas Bill 2024.
