Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
BINGA Rural District Council is locked in a legal wrangle with Siabuwa villagers who have invaded Manyenyengwa/Siabuwa Hunting Concession and are illegally hunting wildlife in the safari area. The council has since filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing nine villagers led by Paul Muleya as the defendants in the matter.

“Sometime in 2012, the defendants invaded and occupied the Manyenyengwa/Siabuwa Hunting Concession in Binga District. They are causing irreparable damage to the environment by perpetuating deforestation and destroying the wildlife industry by illegally hunting animals in the hunting concession,” reads part of the summons filed through council lawyers T Hara and Partners.

Binga RDC said the villagers have for the past three years been resisting eviction.

“Several efforts have been made by the plaintiff to move the defendants out of the Manyenyengwa/Siabuwa Hunting Concession but with no success,” said the council.

The nine villagers, through their lawyer, Bruce Masamvu of Dube-Tachiona and Tsvangirai Legal Practitioners, on Monday filed a notice to enter an appearance to defend themselves against council’s eviction bid.

The latest legal battle comes a month after Binga villagers filed a High Court application seeking an order compelling Binga RDC and the Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development ministry to stop their plans to displace more than 1,000 people from Siansundu village, which council intends to develop into an urban setting.

Four villagers representing the entire village, led by their village head Jameson Mkombe, filed the court papers at the Bulawayo High Court through their lawyer, Lizwe Jamela of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

In their application, Mkombe, Aaron Mdimba, Evelyn Mudenda and Emion Mupande cited the Binga council chief executive officer, district administrator, provincial administrator and Local Government Public Works and Urban Development minister, Ignatius Chombo as the respondents. The villagers are seeking an order interdicting the council from evicting them from their land. The date of the hearing is yet to be set.