Government has revealed inhuman treatment which black Zambians are being subjected to in some lodges at South Luangwa Game Reserve.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Chanda Kasolo says that this follows an incident where the district commissioner for Mambwe was turned away at one of the lodges when she wanted to get something to eat.
Mr. Kasolo says that the owner of the lodge informed the district commissioner that she was not welcome because it was a private lodge, but changed her mind after the district commissioner revealed her identity.
Mr. Kasolo says that he too suffered similar treatment at one of the lodges where the owner of the lodge informed him and his colleague that they had overstayed after taking a few drinks.
He says that following the two incidences, a team was assigned to investigate the treatment of blacks at these lodges and has confirmed the prevalence of acts of racism.
The permanent secretary says that he is in the process of preparing a comprehensive report which will be submitted to President Edgar Lungu next month.
He says that the submissions will include ways of ensuring that Zambians get a fair share of ownership of lodges and ways for enabling Zambians to have easy access to these lodges.
Meanwhile Mr. Kasolo says that government is concerned that almost all lodges in the South Luangwa Game Reserve are owned by foreigners.
He says that what is of particular concern to government is that services to these lodges are paid in foreign currency, which is kept abroad
Mr. Kasolo says that this kind of trade deprives the treasury of millions of dollars, which if collected would increase the dollar circulation and help keep the kwacha to dollar rate lower.
He has also noted that the lodge owners charge for everything, including meals and drinks, in US dollars which makes the prices exorbitant to most Zambians who only use Kwacha as the currency of trade.
Mr. Kasolo says that this discourages Zambians from visiting these lodges.