Claim
An article received through the iVerify tip line on 27th September 2021 claimed that the Minister of Community Development, Doreen Mwamba caught unknown people associated with the Patriotic Front political party that stole 200 containers of Mukula trees. The article also claimed that Minister Mwamba found the drivers who had been hiding in the bush for 2 months and waiting for the pending forged documentation for Mukula logs to be transported to Congo. Over the past years, there have been numerous rumors on social media about illegal transportation of the Mukula logs to other countries.
Rating Justification
The Fact Checking Process has established as unproven the claim that the Minister of Community Development, Doreen Mwamba, caught unknown people associated with the Patriotic Front political party that stole 200 containers of Mukula trees. The iVerify team analyzed a video on the UPND page that showed Hon. Doreen Mwamba at Zapid Farms in Luapula Province,explaining that Zapid Farms is under the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry was getting reports of illegal activities at the farm. The Minister also stated that 10 trucks were loaded with over 200 Mukula logs and the drivers were at the farm waiting for approval to export the logs but did not have any written approval from the government. She said, “We are notifying the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security so that we see who is behind this trade and they will be answerable. You are innocent people and you are just drivers. When the police comes, you will go with the police and the trucks will be impounded.” The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC Spokesperson Queen K. Chibwe) told the iVerify team in an interview that they have not received any compliant or report related to Hon. Doreen Mwamba seizing illegal exportation of 200 mukula logs in Luapula Province. While it is true that Minister Doreen Mwamba found over 200 mukula logs at Zapid Farms in Luapula Province, there is no evidence to prove nor disprove the claim that the drivers are affiliated to the Patriotic Front political party. The ACC and the Police have not issued any statement on the matter. Hence the entire claim is unproven and requires further information.
