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The two Government entities are fighting each other over the control of the entrance at one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
NMMZ officials led by the chief curator Mr Kundishora Chipunza at about 11am pulled down the NPWMA flag and hoisted theirs in military style. NMMZ also brought down the parks banner and replaced it with theirs.
“NMMZ went to the flag area, pulled down the parks flag and hoisted theirs, pulled down parks bill board and put their own up much to the shock of tourists and curio vendors,” said a witness.
The Rainforest has been under the control of NPWMA since 1937.
As of yesterday, the NMMZ flag and the national flag were flying at the entrance forest.
According to witnesses, drama started at 6am when the officer-in-charge of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Detective Inspector Siziba, arrived at the Rainforest escorted by two uniformed police officers.
NMMZ had sought the services of the police to get rid of parks rangers.
“They ordered that the restaurant inside the Rainforest should not be opened and threatened management with detention if they went ahead and opened it. They then deployed two officers at the restaurant,” said a
witness.
In an interview at the site on Friday, Mr Chipunza said they wanted to co-own the Rainforest with parks.
“All we are saying is that this is a heritage site which falls under us, museums, but all we want is to co-own it with parks,” he said.
Parks officials at the Rainforest referred the Chronicle to their public relations manager Ms Caroline Washaya-Moyo for comment, but she was not reachable.-The Chronicle
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