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Freedom Mupanedemo, Midlands Bureau
In a heart-stopping stunt, a huge baboon bursts onto the path of Tino Mahembe (12), who is walking to school with her mother Mrs Rodha Mahembe, in Redcliff’s central business district.
Still traumatised by a previous encounter with a baboon that ultimately stole her lunch pack, she held her satchel and lunch-box tightly while clinging onto her mother’s arm.
The aggressive primate, which was a few centimetres away, then paced back and forth on the tarmac, barking menacingly, making a sharp, repetitive “khak-khak-khak” sound as if it was shouting obscenities at the mother and her daughter.
In shock, the pair swiftly walked into the school fence and realising his attempts were futile, the baboon nonchalantly walked away too, but in stubborn gait, waiting for his next target.
Mrs Mahembe is one of the many Redcliff residents who have resorted to accompanying their kids to school to protect them from marauding baboons .
With the El Nino-induced drought biting across Zimbabwe, baboons in Redcliff Town have not been spared.
They have now resorted to foraging for food in houses, stalking and “mugging” learners on their way to school and taking away their lunch packs from satchels.
“It’s a difficult situation that we are experiencing in Redcliff,” said Mrs Mahembe.
“The baboons have become violent, targeting our children in uniforms, grabbing satchels and taking away lunch boxes.
“They even chase after the learners, especially girls, forcing them to throw away the satchels.”
For those that have not lived in rural areas or places close to game parks like Kariba and Chirundu, it’s a stranger than fiction story.
But it’s real.
Mrs Mahembe confirmed that the baboons grab the satchels, “unzip them and search for lunch boxes”.
She said her daughter was one of the many victims of the baboons terrorising the people of Redcliff.
“She is traumatised following the incident and had not been going to school for a while and we now accompany our children to school to ward off baboons, which will be waiting to pounce on them,” she said.
Another parent, Mr John Kuka, shared a similar story.
“They are so keen to pounce when they see you from a spitting distance. If they grab a satchel and not find a lunch pack with prepared food, they just throw away the satchel with the books,” he said.
Residents have since raised concern and are seeking the intervention of the local authority.
“These baboons also break into houses now and every resident is living in fear. It’s like they are now camped in the CBD and suburbs searching for food everyday,” he said.
Redcliff Mayor Councillor Vincent Shangwa Masiiwa, said the local authority has since engaged the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), which is now dealing with the baboons.
He said Zimparks has resorted to shooting, poisoning and caging the marauding baboons that have caused residents sleepless nights.
Zimparks started shooting the baboons last Wednesday and many have either been killed or caged.
Clr Masiiwa said apart from attacking learners, the baboons have been damaging gardens, breaking into houses and stealing food.
“We engaged Zimparks and they started by raising awareness in the community about the measures they are about to take to control the baboons.
“They have three measures in place which are shooting, poisoning and luring the baboons into their cages.
“The community is being warned not to touch or consume the dead baboons because they are poisonous,” said Clr Musiiwa.
Online Reporter