Lions still roaming Mkushi forests
By Times Reporter

TWO lions have continued terrorising parts of Mkushi district in Central Province, compelling villagers to lock themselves up as early as 18:00 hours, area District Commissioner, Mwila Kunda, has said.
Mr Kunda said yesterday that the residents in the district were living in fear because the area was being haunted by the beasts, a female and a male.
In an interview, Mr Kunda said the two lions had been spotted several times in Chalata area, a few kilometres from the Boma.
He said the lions at the weekend had struck and raided a herd of cattle within Chalata and killed three heads of cattle.
The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) officers that were deployed to the area had seen the beasts but could not control the animals because they only had short range firearms.
ZAWA public relations manager, Maureen Mwape, last month confirmed the presence of the two carnivores which she said were earlier reported in Kapiri-Mposhi.
She assured that the officers who had been dispatched to the area would soon control the situation.
Officers from Kabwe and Mkushi have been combing the affected areas but they have failed to control the two animals due to lack of proper firearms.
But Mr Kunda said a local commercial farmer had offered to render his long-range gun to ZAWA and hoped that they would soon control the animals so that safety could be guaranteed for the residents.