Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe yesterday told Parliament that negative sentimenst about the country have partly contributed to the depreciation of the Kwacha, which has resulted in the increase in fuel prices. The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) yesterday announced fuel price hikes with petrol now selling at K16.06 from K13. 75 and diesel K14. 65 from K 12.01.

Ms Mwanakatwe said some Zambians have been speaking ill of their own country to the international community resulting in the Kwacha being hurt.
Mrs Mwanakatwe said this in response to points of clarifications after answering Kantanshi Member of Parliament (Independent) Anthony Mumba who wanted to know what has caused the sharp depreciation of the Kwacha and the measures Government is taking to stabilise the local currency.
She said the depreciation of the Kwacha is of great concern to Government and measures are being put in place to mitigate the situation.
Some of the measures include mines paying taxes in dollars.

“We need to moderate the economy. The fundamentals are correct but negative sentiments are impacting negatively on our Kwacha. We buy petroleum in dollars,” Mrs Mwanakatwe said.

She said actually, the Kwacha yesterday appreciated against the dollar from K12.7 to K12.2 per dollar. And Parliament heard that human encroachment and other activities such as farming in wildlife areas has resulted in increased human/animal conflicts with 63 people killed by animals in 2017 alone, Parliament heard yesterday.

Minister of Tourism and Arts Charles Banda said in a ministerial statement that humans are increasingly settling in wildlife areas thereby sparkling conflicts between themselves and animals.

Mr Banda said 6,085 cases human/animal conflicts were recorded during the year under review, resulting in 28 people being injured.
Mr Banda said 279 livestock were killed and several crop fields destroyed by wild animals. The minister said wildlife officers killed 125 problematic animals to preserve human life.

Mr Banda said some of the problematic animals that were killed included 26 elephants, 16 crocodiles, 24 baboons, 16 Buffaloes, three hyenas, one bush pig and several hippopotamus. Nalikwanda Member of Parliament (UPND) Geoffrey Lungwangwa caused laughter in the House when he asked if the Ministry of Tourism and Arts has a sensitisation plan for animals since people are being sensitised not to stray in wildlife areas.
In response, Mr Banda said Government has prioritised both the lives of humans and that of animals.