Nkayi Rural District Council introduces tough by-laws

NKAYI Rural District Council has introduced new tough by-laws, with violators of some of the regulations liable to heavy fines and prison terms.

In a circular, Nkayi RDC listed 39 by-laws.

According to some of the new by-laws, it is now an offence to mould bricks within 30 metres of a river or dam including cultivating in a wetland and fishing without a permit.

It is now a criminal offence to move livestock at night. The movement of livestock is supposed to be from 6AM to 6PM.

The local authority also listed the throwing of litter from a vehicle, destruction or removal of any council fences, the burning of waste at a landfill or dumpsite, water abstraction from a dam without permission and growing invasive species among others as an offence.

Companies or individuals caught harvesting timber, abstracting quarry and or gravel, abstracting river sand or pit sand and mining without a permit are also punishable offences.

A villager from Gwelutshena, Mr Lameck Sibanda commended Nkayi RDC for coming up with the new by-laws.

He said the ban on the night movement of livestock will assist in curbing cases of stocktheft.

Mr Sibanda, however, had reservations about the banning of fishing without a permit, saying it is unfair to villagers as dams and rivers were their sources of livelihood.

“My neighbour recently lost three beasts and only found the heads and hooves in the bush after a week-long search. He is not the only one to lose his livestock to cattle rustlers, whom we suspect are working hand-in-hand with butcheries,” he said.

“The decision to ban the transportation of livestock at night is a good move and as villagers, we will also alert the police when we see trucks carrying cattle at night.

“However, Nkayi RDC must re-think on its decision to ban us from fishing without a permit. We are used to fishing in dams and rivers in our villages, not for resale, but to feed our families and I feel such a law is not fair on us.”

Companies that do not consult the council during the preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment EIA documents or develop projects without an EIA will be prosecuted.

Villagers caught dragging ox-drawn ploughs or sleighs on council land will be prosecuted including anyone caught cutting down or clearing vegetation without a valid permit.

This also applied to those found transporting or selling firewood without a permit. The trade of timber without a permit and the harvesting of non-timber produce prematurely is an offence.

It is also an offence to drill a borehole without council approval and obtaining a permit from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).

The disposal of hazardous waste at an unlicensed site and illegal waste disposal will attract a fine or jail term.