Safari operators urged to develop communities

any meaningful contribution to the development of the areas despite making “super profits”.
The chiefs were speaking at a meeting with Zanu-PF national political commissar Cde Webster Shamu and the party’s leadership in the district at the weekend.
Chief Sikalenge said safari operators were neglecting the area.
“Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Management, should put in place laws which force these operators to at least give back something to local communities.”
He said safari operators and poachers destroy the environment without beneficiation of the society.
“They are the ones who use the roads, which are deteriorating everyday, but they don’t bother to help in taking care of them. There will be nothing to talk about in the next few years if this continues.”
Chief Sinansengwe told Cde Shamu that people from Binga were not benefitting from fishing activities in their area. He said villagers did not have fishing permits.
He said the permits were given to people mainly from Kariba, Bulawayo and Harare at the expense of locals.
“Out of the 300 permits allowed here, I don’t think there are more than ten people in Binga who have them,” he said.
“Officials from the National Parks and Wild Life Management have failed the people of Binga.”
Chief Sinansengwe said: “The communities are not benefiting from the revenue from Lake Kariba and Zambezi despite being a few metres away from the lake.
“Our schools and clinics and the general infrastructure are in a sorry state but revenue from the lake is being taken away and we want that corrected in line with Government laws.”
Cde Shamu said he will engage Environment and Natural Resources Minister Francis Nhema to address the issue.  He said corrupt elements in societies were derailing Government’s indigenisation and economic empowerment drive.
“You are the people who should benefit from the wealth that is in your area. This is the only way that will make you independent economically and we will be behind you.”
Cde Shamu urged party members to unite and concentrate on defeating imperialism.
He reiterated that Zanu-PF would not tolerate the imposition of candidates as this had proved costly to the party in the 2008 harmonised elections. 
Zanu-PF politburo member Cde Samuel Mugande said the district was ready for the elections.
“We are now ready for the fight and we have confidence that the results will be in our favour this time,” he said.