Chronicle Editor
Esnathy Sibanda /Kudzai Chikiwa, Chronicle Reporters
A KENYAN wildlife team has commended the Government for its Wildlife Conservation Policy that has seen a reduction in elephant poaching in Zimbabwe.
The team is walking through countries in Southern and Eastern Africa to raise awareness about the dwindling numbers of jumbos on the continent.
Elephant Neighbour Centre (Kenya) Executive Director Mr Jim Nyamu yesterday told Bulawayo City Council officials that the walk came after a realisation that the population of African elephants has sharply decreased from 3,5 million to 415 000 within 11 years.
“This sharp decrease is worrisome, however, other African countries are not doing enough to conserve this endangered species and reports on poachers are not given priority,” he said.
“Zimbabwe has shown great commitment to the conservation of these elephants through its Wildlife Conservation Policy which allows law enforcement agencies to kill poachers for conservation.’’
Zimbabwe has made recognisable efforts in curbing elephant poaching with a number of poachers shot dead and some arrested.
Mr Nyamu appreciated Zimbabweans for welcoming the team and supporting the initiative since he arrived in the country.
“Zimbabwe has been more welcoming than my home country. We were received warmly like indigenous people and our campaign has been a smooth flow.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority together with the police ensured that we are safe,” he said.
We would like to thank His Worship The Mayor of Bulawayo for giving us a good welcome and allowing the media to freely cover us in his city’.
Mr Nyamu said his team would also raise awareness about other endangered animals.
In his welcome speech, Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Solomon Nguni said the city should learn from the great walk, which he said resonates with the City of Kings where elephants are held in high esteem because they were used by the Ndebele King as an emblem.
“We appreciate this great walk largely because of the crest which has an African elephant with the trunk elevated. The elephant was used as an emblem by King Lobengula as his royal seal and in that regard we highly respect an elephant,’’ he said.
“We thank you for bringing this consciousness to protect the elephant especially as we note that Zimbabwe has had a decline of the elephant population from 2007 to date. This decline of elephants is an indication that we need to protect our wildlife and strive to maintain our current population.”
The Mayor said he hopes the walk will result in the country intensifying preservation of wildlife.
The eight-man team has been walking across Africa to create awareness on the plight of African elephants and advocating for their conservation.
Since July it has covered 3 239 kilometres from Kenya to Tanzania, Zambia and now Zimbawe.
Their next stop is Botswana and the team expects to cover about 4 200 km through East and Southern Africa by the second week of November.
The walk is being held under the theme “Ivory belongs to Elephants.”
The team will be taking its awareness campaigns to schools in and around Bulawayo for the next 5 days, to rope in school children.
The team visited 30 schools on its way from Victoria Falls.-@esinathy_essira/@tamary98
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