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Kanchibiya Member of Parliament, Sunday Chanda, has urged government to repeal the Livestock Development Act following the destruction of 70 animals in Kalomo for lack of a movement permit.
In a statement, Chanda described the incident as “deeply heartbreaking,” saying it raised serious concerns about the country’s methods of livestock regulation and disease control.
He noted that the animals had already been tested and cleared as disease-free, yet were slaughtered—an action he said amounted to “the total destruction of a man’s livelihood, dignity, and future.”
“The law in its current form is punitive, outdated and destructive. If Zambia is serious about growing a resilient livestock industry, we cannot afford to use blunt instruments of justice that erase livelihoods in a single stroke,” Chanda said.
The lawmaker announced plans to move a motion in Parliament to repeal and replace the existing legislation with a more progressive framework.
He outlined proposed reforms, including science-based enforcement, proportional penalties such as fines, a fair appeals process before irreversible actions are taken, and greater emphasis on farmer education and awareness.
“Justice should correct, reform and protect—not destroy,” he stressed, adding that the Kalomo case must serve as a turning point in safeguarding both farmers and the livestock industry.
Recently, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Permanent Secretary, Max Choombe, said the Department of Veterinary Services was mandated by the Act to prevent and control livestock diseases, including Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), a highly contagious and deadly cattle disease.
Choombe described CBPP as a disease of national economic importance that primarily attacks the lungs of cattle, causing severe respiratory illness, death rates of up to 50 percent, and devastating losses for the livestock sector.
“We wish to reiterate that the Animal Health Act strictly prohibits the movement of animals from a place known to be infected with CBPP without a Livestock Movement Permit,” Choombe said.
He disclosed that 70 cattle were slaughtered in Kalomo District, Southern Province, after being illegally moved from Moomba in Kazungula District, an area under CBPP quarantine.
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