Wild animals scare Masvingo villagers
Sunday, 16 September 2012 13:26
MASVINGO – Masvingo wild animals straying from Save Valley Conservancy that
was recently taken over by Zanu PF big wigs and securocrats are threatening
the lives of thousands of villagers and their livestock in surrounding
areas.
The Daily News on Sunday has received reports from terrified villagers in
parts of Bikita, Gutu and Zaka which are close to the valley. Predators such
as lions, leopards and hyenas are wreaking havoc after straying from the
Conservancy that some say are poorly managed by the new owners.
Villagers say they are living in fear as the free-roaming predators have
since started devouring their livestock.
“We are under siege here from wild animals coming from the conservancies.
Most of us have lost our livestock to the dangerous animals. We are now
afraid they could end up attacking us,” said Taurai Mupazhiri from Bikita’s
Mkanganwi village.
Some of the Zanu PF bigwigs who grabbed part of the Conservancy include
Higher Education minister Stan Mudenge, Masvingo governor Titus Maluleke,
former Youth deputy minister Shuvai Mahofa, Health deputy minister Douglas
Mombeshora, Manicaland strongman and Zanu PF central committee member Enock
Porusingazi and Chiredzi North MP Ronald Ndava.
Some of the securocrats who have also taken over the rich wildlife sanctuary
are lieutenant colonel David Moyo, major general Gibson Mashingaidze,
retired colonel Claudius Makova, assistant commissioner Connell Dube, major
general Engelbert Rugeje, brigadier-general Livingstone Chineka and Masvingo
provincial intelligence officer identified only as Chibaya. A villager from
Gutu, Sekayi Nhundurwa, said residents are concerned about losing their
cattle and donkeys which they use as draught power during the agricultural
season.
They have since appealed to local authorities to deal with the menace. “We
hear that the conservancies are now under new ownership and management and
they are failing to keep the animals in their sanctuaries. They are now a
danger to our lives. Right now our livestock are being attacked and we will
be left with nothing yet the agricultural season is upon us.
The ultimate result would be continued food shortages for us and our
families,” she said.
Efforts to get a comment from Masvingo provincial governor Titus Maluleke
were fruitless as he was not reachable on his phone.
Last week, mainstream MDC MPs from Masvingo took Maluleke head-on during a
cross-party peace building meeting and accused him of leading the
conservancies grab.
“We are not amused by the way you and your counterparts in Zanu PF took the
conservancies in Save. The grabs are very dangerous to the economy of the
province and the nation at large, as you know that several communities in
Zaka, Bikita, Gutu and Chiredzi were benefiting from the operations of those
areas but now we are having serious problems of wildlife plunder by you, the
new owners,” said MDC Zaka West MP, Festus Dumbu.
The Save valley conservancy debacle has since drawn the attention of Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Vice President Joice Mujuru, while
international blocs such as the European Union have also expressed concern
over the issue. – Godfrey Mtimba