The civil society of Malemba Nkulu (Haut-Lomami) reported on Thursday, February 8, that wandering elephants have destroyed fields in the Kabumbulu, Kakomba, Bunda, Kilumba, Ndala, Kabala, Kuba, and Lupitshi groupings.
According to this organization, these pachyderms, originating from Upemba National Park, have ravaged several fields of corn, cassava, beans, peanuts, and other crops.
Its coordinator, Bovic Mujinga, has expressed fear of a food crisis and famine in the region as a result of the destructive actions of these elephants. Most families practice agriculture for subsistence.
He argued that the situation in Malemba Nkulu is particularly concerning because the population, which is powerless to stop the devastation of the fields, is also a victim of flooding caused notably by the swelling of the river and the abundance of rainfall.
Regarding the wandering of these pachyderms, the territorial administrator of Malemba Nkulu, Joël Kayembe, states that he has already addressed the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) multiple times to request their intervention to drive off these elephants and prevent them from continuing to destroy fields. He claims that these correspondences have still not received a favorable response.
The territory of Malemba Nkulu is primarily agricultural.
Homeless as a result of the floods
Along with all this, the civil society also pointed out that the floods have caused the collapse of several houses, leaving many people homeless and without assistance.
In this regard, the president of this citizen’s organization has issued a plea for help to the authorities: "we ask the national and provincial governments to think of this poor population who are wallowing in misery".
MMC / RO