Government reviews Parks and Wildlife Act
The Chronicle
Prosper Ndlovu, Business Editor
GOVERNMENT has begun a process to review the laws that govern wildlife management and protection to ensure the legislation speaks to the economic development needs of the country and is aligned to international best practice.
Zimbabwe boasts of a wide variety of wildlife species, some of them now on the risk of extinction amid growing concerns that the Parks and Wildlife Act (Chapter 20:14), has now been overtaken by events and no longer best reflects the current needs of society.
Given the pressures being exerted onto the environment by natural and human forces, there is also growing consciousness over animal rights and healthy wildlife environment for future generations. These are being escalated by concerns over poaching, rise in human-animal conflict and the adverse impact of climate change on wildlife habitats.
The Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu, was in Bulawayo yesterday leading the legislative review stakeholder consultative meeting of the Parks and Wildlife Act (Chapter 20:14), which was crafted in 1975 to provide the framework for wildlife heritage conservation and management in Zimbabwe. The Act was last reviewed in 2007, six years before the adoption of the new Constitution in 2013.
In his keynote address Ndlovu told the gathering, which included Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, Secretary for Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mr Munesu Munodawafa, senior Government officials, wildlife conservationists and tour operator representatives, that there was a need to craft a “piece of progressive legislation, which will contribute to a vibrant economy”.
He challenged participants to be actively involved and ensure sound outcomes for the common national gain.
“In view of the Government’s vision to be a middle-income economy by the year 2030, wildlife conservation and tourism stability are necessary factors to support the growth and the performance of the pillars of the economy that will enable us to achieve our objectives,” said Ndlovu.
The minister outlined the key legislative review aspects that should guide the deliberations with the need to align the Parks and Wildlife Act with the Constitution as well as attending to some basic corporate governance coming out tops in the exercise. Zimbabwe is also a signatory to several Conventions that regulate our wildlife management like, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) to mention but a few. Ndlovu said the review exercise seeks to ensure that while maintaining national sovereignty Zimbabwe domesticates provisions of these conventions.
The legislative review process seeks to harmonise principles of sustainable utilisation of the wildlife through balancing conservation benefits with the needs and expectations of the people who live with wildlife. Such interventions are expected to enhance eradication of poaching and other wildlife crimes. Further, the minister stressed the need to strengthen the laws regulating fisheries and unlocking resources for business along the value chain.
The proposed reviews are set to enhance benefits to communities co-existing with wildlife hence the Government recently approved the review of the CAMPFIRE model in use in Zimbabwe to one where the authority appropriate will be further conferred to local communities directly at district and cell levels.