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George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
The Mwenezi West community, under the banner of the Mazetese-Maranda Community Share Ownership Trust, wants Government help to identify a suitable investor to partner the community in the restoration of wildlife conservancy operations at the wildlife-rich Mjingwe Conservancy in their area.
The villagers say delays to come up with a mutually beneficial model, similar to what is being done at the successful nearby Bubi Conservancy, that brings dividends to both the investor and the community, was behind a spike in human and wildlife conflict around the Mjingwe Conservancy, among other challenges.
Every year, several villagers lose their lives mostly to attacks from buffaloes from the conservancy, which roam freely after the perimeter fence around the conservancy was vandalised.
Mjingwe covers over 7 000 hectares and lies on the border between Mwenezi, Mberengwa, and Gwanda.
Cases of human and wildlife conflict have spiked since 2014 around Mjingwe, with stray buffaloes also blamed for spreading disease that has killed over 5 000 cattle belonging to villagers in Magovanyika and other areas around the conservancy.
The perimeter fence around the conservancy was completely vandalised by suspected poachers, resulting in wild animals freely straying onto surrounding communities where they also ravage crops every year.
Mjingwe is home to a high population of buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, antelopes and even leopards.
The conservancy used to boast of palatial lodges, but standards are now deteriorating owing to delays in rescuing the project from collapse, amid a stand-off between the Mwenezi West community and some potential investors.
Parts of the conservancy are now flooded by scores of illegal gold miners and villagers poaching mopane worms.
When The Herald visited the areas around the conservancy recently, villagers complained of an absence of a viable model that would mutually benefit them and the investors.
Chairperson of the Mazetese-Maranda Community Share Ownership Trust, Mr John Magovanyika, revealed that the community in Mwenezi West wanted to benefit from the conservancy.
“We appeal to the authorities to help us because instead of being our source of joy and pride, Mjingwe is the cause of tears on our faces because there is no perimeter fence, which was destroyed by poachers,” he said.
“This has resulted in wildlife such as buffaloes straying onto human settlements, destroying crops and in some cases, killing people. This has been happening every year and we are appealing for closure to this.”
Instead of providing the community with a better life, Mr Magovanyika said, the conservancy was giving them problems.
The community has since identified an investor who wants to partner the trust and they hope authorities will allow them to work with the investor so that they improve their lives, in line with Vision 2030 of transforming Zimbabwe into an empowered upper middle income society.
Mrs Amelisiwe Moyo from Magovanyika Village said it was important for the Mjingwe community to benefit from the park.
“We have been watching helplessly as the situation deteriorated at Mjingwe despite that we were made to understand that we would also benefit from their operations there, under the trust,” she said.
“We watch helplessly while poachers harvest mopane worms and others dig for gold, causing environmental degradation.
“The Government should set up a taskforce to restore order at Mjingwe and any arrangement should also see to it that we benefit as the local community. We have been staying here since the year 2000.”
Mrs Tsitsi Mlilo said the community was previously promised that it would benefit, but nothing had materialised up to now.
“Since 2000 when we settled here, we have not benefited anything from wildlife at Mjingwe,” she said.
“In fact, we are actually suffering as our crops are being destroyed by the animals.
“Our hope is that an investor comes and restores operations so that even our children can get employment at the conservancy as is obtaining at similar ventures like Bubi Conservancy.”
Contacted for comment, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said: “Our desired model for communities around game parks is one that brings economic opportunities to communities, not one that is a source of social pain.
“We will push for a model where we can create jobs for locals while new schools and roads are built for the surrounding communities.”
For ventures like Mjingwe, ZimParks had also allowed local authorities to be involved and make sure communities benefited.
Mwenezi Rural District Council chief executive Mr Albert Chivanga said there was no concrete model being implemented at Mjingwe Conservancy at the moment.
He said they favoured a model that benefited both the community and investors.
“We had recommended a CAMPFIRE model at Mjingwe with investors working with the Mazetese-Maranda Community Trust, but there are problems of vandalism of the perimeter fence around the conservancy so there is really nothing concrete at the moment,” said Mr Chivanga.
He said Mwenezi RDC was impressed by the situation at Bubi Conservancy, which Mwenezi district co-shared with Gwanda and Beitbridge districts.
”As Mwenezi RDC we would favour a model at Mjingwe Conservancy that brings revenue for the benefit of the community and us as a local authority, and also saves wildlife from extinction,” said Mr Chivanga.
“We have such a model at Bubi and communities from Mwenezi, Beitbridge and Gwanda that border the conservancy are benefiting, while endangered wildlife species are being protected and all parties are happy.”
Online Reporter