Villagers, wildlife conservationists at loggerhead

September 22, 2015 in National, News

VILLAGERS in Chipinge West, Manicaland Province, have petitioned Parliament to intervene and resolve their conflicts with wildlife conservationists in the Save Valley Conservancy.

BY STAFF REPORTER

The conservancy owners, on the other hand, have accused the villagers of vandalising the perimeter fence surrounding the area, causing endless human-wildlife conflicts.

Through a non-governmental organisation, Platform for Youth Development Trust (PYD), the villagers claim wild animals including lions and elephants trespassing from the conservancy had killed over 450 cattle and destroyed over $200 000 worth of crops over the past year.

In a petition dated August 17 and sent to Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda, PYD director Claris Madhuku also claimed that the wild animals had killed three people.

The letter was copied to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Envirnment formerly chaired by Annastancia Ndhlovu.

The villagers also claim that several children have dropped out of school for fear of being attacked by lions and elephants roaming the area.

“The lions have also been seen by schoolchildren in areas like Goko, Chipinda and Charuma leading to some parents having to accompany their children or totally withdrawing them from school for security concerns,” said PYD.

“PYD is hopeful that engaging with Parliament would be useful, having taken a similar approach to resolve a pending boundary conflict between Green Fuel and the villagers of Chisumbanje and Chinyamukwakwa communities in Chipinge South.

“Engaging Parliament is a positive move as this has been pushed more from the affected communities. We are taking a representative role that will involve all stakeholders. From our experience working with local communities, PYD is convinced this is the surest way to finding a lasting solution.”

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Caroline Washaya-Moyo yesterday said they could not respond to the matter until they were mandated by their parent ministry to do so.

“Since the letter has been written to Parliament, Parliament will direct it to the ministry and we will be advised by our parent ministry on how we should proceed from then,” Washaya-Moyo said.