Online Reporter
Fairness Moyana recently in Dete
A temporary 40-kilometre detour between Cross Mabale and Cross Dete, introduced to ease traffic during rehabilitation of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway, is raising concern over its impact on wildlife and rural communities bordering Hwange National Park.
Conservationists say the diversion is channelling heavy trucks and buses through a sensitive wildlife corridor, fragmenting habitat, increasing roadkill risk and contributing to littering.
At the same time, residents in villages such as Dopota and Lupote now face difficulties accessing transport and essential services, including healthcare at Lupote Clinic.
Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) operations director, David Kuvawonga, said the detour passes through the home range of endangered African painted dogs, including the well-known Mkondo Pack.
“African painted dogs need vast territories, sometimes up to 750 square kilometres. When you introduce a road into that space, you fragment their habitat. The chances of individuals from this endangered species being hit are high, and the social impact on the pack structure can be huge.”
PDC teams are now spending extended periods tracking the animals and steering them away from traffic. The organisation is also collecting several bags of roadside litter daily, with wildlife increasingly exposed to plastic waste discarded by motorists.
Association for Tourism Hwange coordinator, Shamah Mawoko, said public transport operators must take responsibility for managing waste.
“Buses should have bin liners and instruct passengers not to throw waste outside. It has a negative impact on the environment and can be deadly to animals,” she said.
Traditional leaders say that while the highway upgrade is important, the detour’s social and environmental effects must be addressed.
Chief Nelukoba Dingani said communities were struggling to reach clinics, transport links and markets.
“Development must not leave people behind,” he said.
Chief Nekatambe said infrastructure decisions must consider both community needs and wildlife movement.
“The detour has brought challenges to our communities and to the animals. The needs of villagers and the ecology of the wildlife corridor must be considered,” he said.
Ward 18 councillor, Stanley Torima, said the increase in heavy vehicles has damaged the local Dete road, causing delays and difficult travel conditions.
He urged contractor Asphalt to urgently repair major defects along the route.
The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway is a major tourism and economic corridor linking the country’s second-largest city to its flagship destination.
Government prioritised its rehabilitation to support tourism revenue, investor confidence and regional connectivity.
