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Fairness Moyana in Hwange
COMMUNITIES sitting close to Hwange National Park have called on the Government to expedite the implementation of the human-wildlife conflict relief fund so that victims are given adequate coverage in the face of increased human-wildlife conflicts.
The call follows confrontations between elephants and villagers with the recent one leading to the death of a female security guard in Hwange last week where 30-year-old Lydia Dube died on her way to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo after being attacked by an elephant while she was guarding a broken down crane at Chaba Mine.
Greater Whange Residents Trust (GWRT) coordinator Mr Fidelis Chuma has called for Government to speed up the disbursement of the fund for its intended purpose.
“The human-wildlife conflict relief fund is a good initiative by the Government. However, the problem is on the modalities of compensating those affected by wild animals. We urge the Government to speed up its disbursement so that it lessens the burden of costs to the affected families,” said Mr Chuma.
He also urged Government to engage the affected individuals or communities to better understand the impacts and provide relevant interventions as well as remedies that speaks to the affected people’s expectations.
Residents of Hwange have raised alarm over the increase in human-wildlife conflict which they attributed to shortage of water in the national park and mining near the wildlife corridors.
“Increased presence of elephants in Makwika, Lusumbami and other parts of Hwange due to water shortages in the national park and coal mining activities that are disturbing natural habitat of animals is a cause for concern,” said Mr Tshuma.
He the authorities should invest in water infrastructure in the national park and discourage coal mining projects that disturb natural habitats.
The Government last year announced that it would setup a compensation fund to assist victims of human-wildlife conflict.
Cases of human-wildlife conflict are largely attributed to competition for limited resources between humans and animals and Zimbabwe has the highest number of deaths from human-wildlife conflict in the region with the most affected areas being Kariba and Hwange where people are killed by elephants, buffaloes and crocodiles. The fund therefore was set as a response to the cases and is aimed at providing funeral assistance, hospitalisation and treatment.
Online Reporter