http://allafrica.com/stories/201207170909.html



Zimbabwe: Wildlife Conservancies Must Comply With Indigenisation Laws
By Isdore Guvamombe, 17 July 2012


Wildlife is the mainstay of Zimbabwe's tourism industry and has of late become the centre of conflict between National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and white former farmers.

Being the vital cog in the economic matrix of this country, it is also important to handle the wildlife based land reform programme delicately, but that does not exclude it from conforming to the rules of our national indigenisation programme.

No sector is less important and worse still, the wildlife sector has largely, throughout Rhodesia and Zimbabwe, remained the preserve of a privileged few whites. To this effect, national parks director general Vitalis Chadenga has withheld hunting licences for all wildlife conservancies that have circumvented or have not yet complied with the national indigenisation requirement of 51 percent to the local.

In the process, national parks in general and Chadenga in particular, has attracted the wrath of former white owners and governments of countries of these white farmer's original countries.

The misfortune though is that the implementation of the wildlife based land reform has coincided with our co-hosting with Zambia of the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly, and the former white farmers are trying to arm-twist the Government to cede indigenisation rights.

Without serious backing from the Government, through the ministries of Environment and Natural Resources Management Tourism, and Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Chadenga and indeed the wildlife and tourism sector will be doomed.

One such organisation that has caused quite a stir is the Save Valley Conservancy, which at some stage took parks to court but withdrew later,after realising it was a mammoth task. But still the same Save Valley Conservancy also rattled pressure through the embassies and even wrote letters to Ministers Walter Mzembi and Francis Nhema. The plot did not end there. They copied the letter to US Ambassador Charles Ray, Italian Ambassador Stefano Moscatelli, South Africa Ambassador Vusi Mavimbela, Head of EU delegation Aldo Dell'Aricia and ZTA boss Karikoga Kaseke, among others.

As if that was not enough, in March 2012, Save Valley Conservancy tried to circumvent the indigenisation law by appointing businessman Mr Basil Nyabadza as its new chairperson to give it a black face when the surrounding community in Chiredzi had already come up with its share structure.

On three occasions, the ZTA board has met to solve the matter, but the solution seems to lie in the two ministers involved. Fortunately, Chadenga and Kaseke all sit and represent the Chiredzi community, which vehemently rejected Nyabadza.

The villagers led by their Member of Parliament Ailess Baloyi, insist that they should benefit from the conservancy that is in their backyard and that Nyabadza must have nothing to do with it. Chadenga, who is the custodian of the wildlife, insists that he will not release to any conservancy, hunting permits or operating licences until they are compliant.

"There is no way I can release the permits before those involved comply with the laws of this country. There is a mess at Save Valley Conservancy in particular and even if I were to release the permits, to whom would I give them?" questions Chadenga.

That is a fair legal and national position, which, however, has caught the ire of Germany, France, Japan and South Korea, who are threatening not to participate at the UNWTO general assembly. They might influence others not to come as well or to attend functions of the Zambian side. In fact Kaseke has already been put under pressure by countries that have threatened to attend events on the Zambian side only at UNWTO if the issues around wildlife are not resolved.

"We are in trouble because there is no agreement in Save Valley. We have met three times with the concerned parties, but what is left and is the only solution is the audience between our two ministers to put everything to finality.

"Germany, France, Japan and South Korea have approached me and said they want to issue travel warnings based on the Save Valley Conservancy issue and that might jeopardise our co-hosting with Zambia.

"We must therefore find a solution before it's too late. They cannot cancel the hosting but some countries might boycott events on our side and attend those in

Zambia only," says Kaseke.

What it means is that Ministers Mzembi and Nhema must move in, fast and resolve the wildlife-based land reform programme conflict at Save Valley Conservancy, before it spills into our co-hosting of UNWTO general assembly, where we risk being embarrassed by the boycott of events on the Zimbabwean side.

Zimbabwe has a proud record of excellence in wildlife management and nature conservation and despite limited financial resources, the country still stands high among those that have been able to conserve nature. When Zimbabwe undertook to redistribute the land and natural resources to the underprivileged blacks, the wildlife conservancies also needed to be compliant to the national issue. In the past few months, the wildlife-based land reform programme, the last vestige of conflict in the land reform programme, has hogged the limelight, for all the wrong reasons.

Heated debate in Parliament, litigation in courts and unbearable pressure on the vanguard of the natural resources, the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, all tell a story of the inconclusiveness of the implementation matrix of the project.

This is certainly because it is a technically difficult area in as much as it is sensitive. By its admission, the Government delayed implementing the practical indigenisation of this sector due to technical complications and expertise required.

However, to avoid the hysteric hullabaloo about the wildlife-based land reform and avert litigation, we should all understand that there are very simple solutions which might be unpopular.

If there is no solution in the foreseeable future, Government must allow national parks to run the conservancy. Firstly, since under the land reform programme all the land belongs to the Government of Zimbabwe, it is better to surrender all the private wildlife conservancies to Parks and allow the authority to lease the conservancies, using set barometers.

Secondly, since all the wildlife belongs to national parks and is being held in trust by the farmers, it is simple for parks to take back what belongs to it and then lease out. What then is needed is for Government to re-kit and re-tool parks with high technology and financial muscle to enable it to monitor events in each and every conservancy. If MP Baloyi and his people are not given the chance to get a stake at Save Valley, then real villagers have been elbowed out. The former owners who should be sharing the resource with the indigenous people, have taken advantage of the situation and demanded, even through the courts, to continue operating without complying with the law.

Legally, national parks is not supposed to issue hunting quotas and licences until these private conservancy owners comply with the regulations, but the organisation is under pressure from litigants who hide behind the disorganisation among the indigenous.

Going the community share ownership trust way could be another solution, but still the ordinary villager in the south-eastern lowveld feels there is the loophole of being disenfranchised.

Some 28 percent of Zimbabwe's landmass is reserved for wildlife, itself an incredible statement how much importance the Government of Zimbabwe has given and continues to give to this national asset.

If that statistic is correct, then Zimbabwe is great, but if wildlife conservation is an asset the asset implies that it provides returns for those who own it, in this case the Zimbabwean people. If the asset of wildlife is well managed, then, the result is that this will maximise the return for the population in income and wealth creation, in job provision and enhancing the reputation of the country, thus driving tourism and related activities.

There is no doubt that the wildlife-based land reform programme is necessary but the conservancies must become the property of national parks and parks should be allowed to float them on tender even to communities. Villagers become hyper-aggressive when closed out and tend to poach and even destroy property.

The former owners must vacate and should only do business when the mess is sorted out. The greedy and corrupt must also be routed out and the villagers must also be given a reasonable stake managed under some kind of the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources.

Time is moving and it is very critical and important for us all to identify with the solution than the problem, ahead of the UNWTO general assembly.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, the sharks showed up.

How's that black owned food production working out for Zim?

Only a fool would implement the same policies and expect different results.

Won't works, don't works and can't works, just give the money and the Mercedes. Money grabing parasites, a blight on the land. The "Midas Touch" all gone to hell.

Looks like Save is directly in the destructive sights of Uncle Bob and the goon squad!

Is this news or an opinion piece?

I've hunted Zim three times ....was thinking of going again as I loved hunting there....guess NOT!

1 year & 3 days till I'm to be back in the Save.(Hopefully)
As concerned as I am about my safari, can you imagine what the safari operators & P.H.'s are dealing with?

quote:

Originally posted by pevtsovy:
Is this news or an opinion piece?

Propaganda is the term I'd use.

Oh how they've grasped rhetoric, but never an inkling of math or economics. (Reminds me of...ehh, never mind.)

"51 percent to the local" at the beginning of the piece becomes "former owners" at the end of the piece.

The writer is just a political hack for Mugabe. (Remindes me of...ehh, never mind.)

Great. I will be there in 75 days .

We live in Africa and believe we can make a difference when in reality there is very little that we can do except use our energies and initatives to adapt to changes. Africa is always going to be on self destruct and even small beacons of light such as the Save will be continually fighting for its existence

quote:

Originally posted by Hunt the Sun:
We live in Africa and believe we can make a difference when in reality there is very little that we can do except use our energies and initatives to adapt to changes. Africa is always going to be on self destruct and even small beacons of light such as the Save will be continually fighting for its existence

Ja Boet. Read Peter Godwin's "When a Crocodile Eats the Sun," and you will realise that it is all but a fond hope and the White Man's silly dream.

Ja swaar, I used to sleep at night before I read those books! Now its compulsory reading for my clients! Wouldnt live anywhere else though, so as long as I have a healthy family, ammo, a good dog and a nice kloof to watch out for an elusive ram on a crisp winter morning, then Im good.

quote:

Originally posted by Hunt the Sun:
Ja swaar, I used to sleep at night before I read those books! Now its compulsory reading for my clients! Wouldnt live anywhere else though, so as long as I have a healthy family, ammo, a good dog and a nice kloof to watch out for an elusive ram on a crisp winter morning, then Im good.

About these rams, how elusive are they? MMmmhh!

I hear his is serious. Anyone hear anything ?

I fly on 30 July to hunt with Save Safaris. I spoke with my PHs wife last night. She confirmed that National Parks was talking about shutting down the hunting in the Conservancy, but nothing concrete had been decided. She felt that any immediate action was unlikely due to possible blowback at the big UNWTO meeting coming up...and if it was shut down, we would "make a plan" and hunt somewhere else. You do have to admire the resilience of these native Rhodesians. In any case, I still plan to fly on 30 July and have a degree of certainty that I will hunt somewhere - hopefully it will be Matendere Ranch in the Save Conservancy.
Mangwana

Good luck to you subsailor74.
Looking forward to hearing how things go as my safari with Zambezi Hunters is to take place about the same time as the UNWTO meeting is taking place in Vic Falls.
And I am sure they are "making a plan" as well.

Can someone explain to me why the operation of Terry Anders has to be "indiginized"? As far as I know, Anders is a native Zimbabwean.

Sounds more like just another corrupt land grab to me.

It does not matter how many generations of your ancestors have lived in Rhodesia/Zim., it's all about race.

That is some of the most idiotic economic plans I have ever heard. take the one thing that works in Africa and totally and utterly screw it up by "indiginizing" it. God help Zimbabwe and probably most of the continent....

quote:

Originally posted by gunslinger55:
That is some of the most idiotic economic plans I have ever heard. take the one thing that works in Africa and totally and utterly screw it up by "indiginizing" it. God help Zimbabwe and probably most of the continent....

No "plans" to it - simple greed and hate, with a little bit of childish thinking that if you "own" something, it will magically produce and make you "rich".

African politics is about power, total control, it is not just Zim, we are all prone to this

No where worse than Africa I'm afraid. History has proven this. Although Mexico and the southern Americas can be included on the worlds worst list

This has to beg the question of if they are forced to take in an African partner and that partner is on the US banned business list (or is added to it), where do American hunters stand with regard to doing business with them?

It would be a problem as far as I am concerned and most others that I know. Why can't these people realize they are killing the golden goose? Heck they can't even feed themselves not to mention have clean water etc. etc. etc. I would be interested to know how much "better off" the average african is since "indigination" has occured? ie "freedom" from the evil white man. I would say that the amount of money "evil white men" send to Africa and is wasted, corrupted, embezzled stolen and wasted is staggering. I have a friend who workd for the CDC in Tanzania and she says the evil white americans send $440 million dollars a year there just for epidemialogical work and basic health services. I am sure just this "service" in Africa is in the tens of billions overall. She says it is the worse waste, corruption, inefficiency, incompetence and waste she has ever seen. And she was a diehard liberal save the worlder when she went 4 years ago. She has a very different impression now and wants to get out. That is our tax dollars at work. Now Tanzania may be a better run country than Zimbabwe I am guessing. What little I heard from Mozambique is encouraging in that they are rejecting the failed communist idea, and are embracing a form of capitalism and encouraging "white" people to come back and get the economy and country running to some degree. It is not rocket science. And I am not a "racist". I look at facts, history and culture and no that does not fit the "PC" bullshit that has smothered all rational thinking and actions. America is not perfect and is sliding down the craphole but it is still the top of the heap. I want Africa to be sustainable and viable so the animals are not extinct and the people can eat. What they do does not support this and we should find ways to "encourage" these countries to try and make themselves better. My god money sure doesn't do it

Mugabe roped into Zimbabwe poaching war
http://nehandaradio.com

July 20, 2012 5:57 pm

By Richard Chidza

HARARE – Tourism minister Walter Mzembi has sought President Robert Mugabe
and his deputy Joice Mujuru’s help in a vicious fight against top Zanu PF
chefs who have invaded wildlife conservancies with the backing of some top
army officials.

Highly placed sources told the Daily News Mzembi has been involved in a
nasty fight with Shuvai Mahofa, a former Zanu PF MP and deputy minister over
the invasion of a wildlife conservancy and poaching.

Mzembi fears anarchy prevailing in the conservancies will dent the country’s
image ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general
assembly conference which Zimbabwe is co-hosting with Zambia next year.

The event is viewed as key to jumpstarting Zimbabwe’s tourism sector which
has suffered the brunt of bad publicity generated by a decade of political
turmoil.

Wildlife conservation activists claimed in interviews with the Daily News
that Mahofa had strong backing from serving and retired military commanders,
some of whom have interests in the conservancies where poaching is rife.

Parks and Wildlife director general Vitalis Chadenga confirmed that poaching
is rampant in the conservancies under dispute. Mzembi says he wants Mahofa,
feared war veteran Francis Zimuto aka Black Jesus and a white farmer
identified as Ken Drummond stopped from decimating animals in the lucrative
ranch.

A letter sent to Mugabe and Mujuru and seen by the Daily News states that
Mahofa is acting illegally.

“The High Court of Zimbabwe has ruled to suspend Mahofa’s lease agreement
and that Forever African Safaris are the rightful occupiers of the ranch in
the Save Valley Conservancy,” reads the communication.

“The World Tourism Summit is scheduled for 2013 in Victoria Falls Zimbabwe,
yet National Parks director Vitalis Chadenga and Natural Resources minister
Francis Nhema continue to ignore the fact that Savuli has been invaded on
the strength of ‘documents from their offices’.”

Mzembi, who enjoys the support of local chiefs and ordinary people in the
Lowveld, refused to comment on the dispute. He however took a swipe at
officials who were using their political links to amass wealth at the
expense of ordinary people.

“The nation has been witnessing the blatant abuse of well-meaning policies
by greedy individuals who have benefited ‘70 times seven times’ from
virtually every empowerment policy that has been pronounced,” he said.

“An indigenisation move that benefits the same persons over and over again
immediately lends itself to scrutiny and interrogation. Instead we are
witnessing some of the unintended consequences of well-meaning programmes
that end up providing raison d’etre and justification for an attitude of
entitlement and impunity fronted as empowerment by the greedy fringe of our
society. This must be checked,” Mzembi said.

“However I am reluctant to comment on the matter before I talk to minister
Nhema under whose ambit conservancies’ fall suffice to say I am disturbed by
the negative impact of these developments on tourism,” said Mzembi. Chadenga
said poaching was widespread.

“People are hunting without permits but we have instructed our Masvingo
office to act,” he said. He however defended Mahofa, saying whites in the
area were the ones causing problems.

“As far as we are concerned Mahofa has a valid lease and the problem that is
in the conservancy is to do with co-existence. Mahofa got a 25-year lease
under the Wildlife Best Land Reform Policy that seeks to open conservation
to black Zimbabweans.

“It is true I have received protests from in particular the German
ambassador but my response was that what we have is a co-existence issue and
nothing more,” Chadenga said. Chadenga rubbished Mzembi’s claims that the
dispute could affect the tourism event.

“There will be a greater threat to the UNWTO general assembly if we do not
allow Zimbabweans with valid leases to co-exist with former white owners,”
he said. A spokesperson for Forever African Safaris, Wilfried Pabst told the
Daily News Zimbabwe’s hosting of the UNWTO general assembly is in danger.

“The situation is so bad and it is highly likely that several European
countries could declare a tourism moratorium on Zimbabwe categorising the
country as a danger to wildlife,” he said. He added the firm has two High
Court orders against Mahofa that authorities are ignoring.

Nhema was unavailable for comment, but minister of State in Mujuru’s office
Sylvester Nguni was angry at how the Daily News got hold of the documents.

“I am disappointed that people seeking our help see it fit to involve the
media, waylaying the deputy president of the country into a media trap?
“They have already passed judgement that we will not be of much help so you
are not going to get a comment from us and I am not sure they will get much
help,” an angry Nguni said.

A wildlife conservationist Jonny Rodrigues ,who chairs the Zimbabwe
Conservation Task Force, also claimed the army is heavily involved. “There
is involvement of serving and retired army generals as well as Zanu PF
bigwigs who are using people like Mahofa and others as pawns to get
conservancies and land.

Mahofa denied the allegation. “These people are South Africans and I cannot
be fighting foreigners. It is my property and I do not want to see anyone. I
was supposed to share it with retired Colonel Claudius Makova but he refused
and now it is mine alone and I do not even want to see a soldier.

“I surrendered all other farms that I had to my children and they have their
own leases. The poaching that is so prevalent in the conservancy is because
whites are resisting sharing with blacks,” said Mahofa. Nhema said Mahofa
was the rightful owner of the property. Daily News

"Mzembi fears anarchy prevailing in the conservancies will dent the country’s
image ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general
assembly conference which Zimbabwe is co-hosting with Zambia next year"

Dent the country's image?

Oh what a feckin' hoot!

Just goes to show you how deluded these mucking forons really are.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
This has to beg the question of if they are forced to take in an African partner and that partner is on the US banned business list (or is added to it), where do American hunters stand with regard to doing business with them?

For many, we would loose our jobs and the source of income that paid for the hunt.

Sounds like a real issue, and coming to head sooner than anticipated. Hopefully it doesn't spread through all of Africa. Please keep us posted if you hear anything more. Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:
It does not matter how many generations of your ancestors have lived in Rhodesia/Zim., it's all about race.

if you ain't black, you ain't shit, no matter how many generations you have been in Africa! that's the bottom line- it's all about skin color.

Found this story as well


Zimbabwe lakeside leasure resort targeted by militants under Mugabe empowerment drive

Zimbabwe lakeside leisure resort targeted by militants under Mugabe empowerment drive

Associated Press

By Angus Shaw (CP) – 2 hours ago

HARARE, Zimbabwe — As Zimbabwe tried to spruce up its tourism image,
militants of President Robert Mugabe's party launched raids at boating clubs
and tourism lodges on the shores of the capital's main fishing and leisure
area, tour operators said Sunday.

A safari lodge about 18 miles (30 kilometres) west of Harare reopened after
being sealed off by more than 200 militants since Friday, said owner Gary
Stafford. The seven-chalet Kuimba Shiri lodge is a popular getaway for
locals, foreign visitors, diplomats and U.N. staff.

Militants told witnesses more than 20 clubs and holiday facilities were
being targeted on the shores and hinterland of Lake Chivero, a dam five
miles (8 kilometres) in length — bordered by a wildlife preserve — that
serves as Harare's main water supply reservoir.

Incidents began Friday, coinciding with the launch of a new campaign by
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi who branded Zimbabwe as "the
world of wonders," during a convention in Spain.

After collapsing during a decade of political and economic turmoil, tourist
visits have crept upward since 2009 when a coalition government between
Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the former opposition leader,
abandoned the hyperinflationary local currency and adopted the U.S. dollar
as legal tender.

Tourists had been kept away from the famed Victoria Falls in northwestern
Zimbabwe and the country's animal reserves because of recurring political
violence and acute shortages of gasoline and the most basic goods during the
nation's economic meltdown. Victoria Falls is seen as one of the world's
natural wonders.

The change to hard currency saw gas stations and empty store shelves
replenished — with foodstuffs and luxuries still being mainly imported from
neighbouring South Africa as once self-sufficient local industries battled
to resume production.

After years of neglect, tourist services, the third largest hard currency
earner after agricultural exports and mining a decade ago, were being
revamped too, and advertising promotions were mounted at several
international travel fairs.

The raids at Lake Chivero follow similar incidents in the mountainous
northeastern trout fishing and hiking district of Nyanga. There, holiday
cottages were searched by militants and visitors reported being forced to
show identification documents by rag-tag groups not in official police or
security service uniforms. In some areas, the militants also manned
makeshift road blocks.

Calls for elections this year by Mugabe to end the shaky power sharing deal
have heightened political tensions and spurred fresh demands for the
implementation of Mugabe's policy of empowerment that calls for 51 per cent
ownership of businesses by blacks.

Stafford said the leaders of the militants took an inventory of his lodge's
belongings and "there was no violence or looting." They told him they were
taking stock and evaluating lakeside properties under the empowerment
program.

One visiting couple was holed up in the lodge for a day and "we weren't
allowed any guests," Stafford said.

Boating clubs and a mobile home park were also visited by militants, some
armed with sticks and chanting slogans of Mugabe's party.

Property owners said they called the tourism and environment ministries to
seek their intervention.

Witnesses said militants occupied a mobile home at one Lake Chivero campsite
after saying it could stay open as long as no property or utensils were
removed. The militants, who took nothing and bought their own food from a
nearby store, completed an inventory of items at the site and told workers
they wanted impoverished nearby communities to have a share in the lake's
leisure assets.

In 2000, Mugabe ordered the seizure of thousands of white-owned farms for
handing over to blacks to correct what he called unfair colonial era
ownership. The often-violent seizures of white-owned farms disrupted the
agriculture-based economy in the former regional breadbasket and have
continued in recent months, leaving just 300 whites in farming areas.

Critics of Mugabe say the those seizures and proposed business takeovers
were a ploy all along to shore up the flagging support of his ZANU-PF among
the nation's voters.

Related Stories
South Africa Reports 281 Rhinos Killed This Year
Jumbos may die of thirst, says ZimParks
ZCTF Report 11th July 2012
Mana Pools lodge threatens eco-system
Poached
Damned if you do, and
Ho Chi Minh City – animal parts in medicine the norm
What I learnt on my journey
The Mekong Delta: learning the rhino doesn’t have to be killed
Understanding traditional medicine

quote:

Originally posted by Sid Post:

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
This has to beg the question of if they are forced to take in an African partner and that partner is on the US banned business list (or is added to it), where do American hunters stand with regard to doing business with them?

For many, we would loose our jobs and the source of income that paid for the hunt.

I'd suspect the consequences could be even more serious than that and could possibly also include large fines and maybe even jail time.

My advice would be for (American) hunters to get something in writing from the outfitter stating that none of their shareholders are on the banned list.

I'm not trying to make trouble for the Zim outfitters but nor would I like to see any hunters land themselves in the smelly brown stuff at some time in the future.

Mugabe and his thugs need to be "removed". Sounds like the place is unravelling at the seams. Once the indigenous take everything worth a damn (which they had no part creating) the country will collapse I'm sure. What a failed, myopic, greedy and utterly stupid plan. I wanted to hunt Zimbabwe but now I may be more interested in funding a regime change

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:

Dent the {country's} CONTINENT'S image?

Oh what a feckin' hoot!

Just goes to show you how deluded these mucking forons really are.

About what he said!! Apologies to Shakari.

Quote; gunslinger55
one of us


Mugabe and his thugs need to be "removed". Sounds like the place is unravelling at the seams. Once the indigenous take everything worth a damn (which they had no part creating) the country will collapse I'm sure. What a failed, myopic, greedy and utterly stupid plan. I wanted to hunt Zimbabwe but now I may be more interested in funding a regime change; Quote

Maybe funds for some of those dirty great big "daisy cutters" that the USAF dropped on the sand-pits.

I keep finding more on this issue as it relates to the Save Valley.

We should ringfence UNWTO Indaba
Friday, 20 July 2012 00:00
Isdore Guvamombe Tourism Matrix
ONE thing that is common in human life and progressive thinking is ringfencing one’s interests.
The millions of precast concrete walls and perimeter fences that greet our eyes day and night protect properties and goods against those who would, given half a chance, deface, steal, destroy or disturb the said investment.
After winning the bid to co-host the 2013 UNWTO General Assembly with Zambia, Zimbabwe has invested economically, politically and socially and hence there is every reason to ringfence its interests before, during and after the event.
This is an international investment. As time ticks away and the countdown to the UNWTO General Assembly to be hosted in Victoria Falls in August next year starts in earnest, sticky issues must be dealt with decisively.
One such issue is the Wildlife-Based Land Reform Programme as presented by the Save Valley Conservancy in Chiredzi.
Events there suggest a growing resistance and delaying tactics by the former owners, resilience by the local community to take over the mandatory 51 percent indigenisation stake. That brews a conflict and because of the networking of the former white farmers, this issue has spilled into the various embassies who have relayed their concerns to their own countries.
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the vanguard of our tourism industry and chief marketer of the Great Nation of Zimbabwe, has been pushed backwards by the events and so has National Parks, the vanguard of our wildlife. It is no longer time to go back into what is happening at Save Valley Conservancy but to look for a feasible solution. We must respect our own laws and abide by them, which is what National Parks director-general Vitalis Chadenga is doing but our people must also not take the law into their own hands.
“The law on indigenisation is clear and the confusion that is there makes it difficult for me to release permits for Save Valley Conservancy.
Who do I give the permits to? Who is who there?
ZTA boss Mr Karikoga Kaseke, who has been contacted by the feuding parties, had this to say: “The issue at Save Valley is now spilling into the UNWTO hosting. Germany, France, Japan and South Korea are complaining and threatening action.
“They want to impose travel warnings on us but as now required by UNWTO, they have to talk to us, so it’s urgent for us to deal with this issue once and for all.
“Germany is powerful in EU these days because of its economy. It might influence others to participate in events only on the Zambian side. That is not good for us.
“After the signing of the trilateral agreement between Zimbabwe, Zambia and UNWTO, the hosting cannot be reversed but they might not attend the events on our side, as they are threatening.
“We have tried to go into the issue, as ZTA board and met with the warring parties three times but the solution now lies in our two ministers — Walter Mzembi and Francis Nhema — discussing.
“The wildlife portfolio is with Minister Nhema so we will have to ensure that our two ministers meet,’’ says Mr Kaseke
The point is the two ministers should ringfence Zimbabwe’s interests by coming up with a lasting solution to the problem. This country should not continue going round and round the issue, because so many things can happen to dampen our spirit at the UNWTO General Assembly. What has confused and complicated the situation is that in March, instead of ceding the 51 percent to the surrounding black community led by their Member of Parliament, Mr Aleiss Baloyi, the conservancy announced that it has a new chairman, Mr Basil Nyabadza.
The community has vehemently disowned Mr Nyabadza, a Manicaland businessman and politician, saying they did not know him and accusing him of being a front of the whites at the conservancy.
Mr Nyabadza has committed himself and moved on to write letters confirming his appointment and some of the letters have found their way into some embassies that are now rattling pressure on ZTA.
The Chiredzi community vehemently dismisses him as a person from Manicaland, behaving as if they do not exist. “Why should a person come from Manicaland to claim a stake, when Chiredzi is in Masvingo and after all, we are the surrounding community that has always lived here even before the conservancy was established” reads a joint communiqué from the villagers.
With the wrangling far from being over, the time to act is now.
Save Valley Conservancy is home to the Big Five — lion, buffalo, leopard, elephant and rhino. There are strong populations of several vulnerable mammals like cheetah, serval, brown hyena and sable antelope.
There is also an impressive array of reptiles, fish, bats and frogs that also flourish.
Other mammal favourites include giraffe, eland, bushbuck, jackal, kudu, wildebeest, impala, warthog, bush pig, crocodile, nyala, duiker, honey badger, hippo, spotted hyena, vervet monkey, Sharpe’s grysbok, red and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, waterbuck, klipspringer, zebra and baboon.

If those bastards complied with their own laws, they would not have seized all if those properties. If they complied with their own laws, they would not be dictating WHO the 51% owners will be

Interestingly, 2 major parcels in the Save (Hammond and Sango) have no lingering colonial issues . They are owned my foreigners that have zero to do with the past in Zim.

This is a get rich quick scheme pure and simple.

Great time to be headed to Arda and area in 3 weeks!! Can't believe a trip of a lifetime could be swept from underneath me like this! I am sure ZH is doing all they can and it will work out well but I don't really want to be taken to an area that is not as good and or smaller than I am hunting to make up for it. Time will tell I guess and roll with the punches. Got to love Africa!!!

Cases like this make me glad we're booked with a reputable group. Their reputation means as much to them as our hunt does to us. It will all work it self out im sure.

http://www.swradioafrica.com/2...at-by-land-invaders/


Farm and conservancy both under threat by land invaders

Posted by Alex Bell on Monday, July 23, 2012



Matabeleland South farmer Dudley Rogers has been threatened with eviction

By Alex Bell
23 July 2012

Two properties in Zimbabwe are facing a take over threat by land invaders, as concern continues to rise about the future of property rights in the country.

Ruware Ranch, in the Chiredzi River Conservancy, was invaded last Friday by a group of people armed with axes, who started clearing the land that was allegedly demarcated by the Land Ministry in January. The invasion comes a month after hundreds of ZANU PF supporters, accompanied by Lands Ministry officials, invaded the property and insisted it was promised to them 12 years ago.

The invasion leaves thousands of animals at risk with 26 different species inhabiting the property. Already wildlife in the Chiredzi River Conservancy has been targeted by human encroachers on the land, due to the onslaught of illegal settlers who have been invading other parts of the Conservancy. They have been attempting to clear the land for crops, resulting in widespread destruction and hundreds of thousands of animals being killed.

The destruction has also been raised as a key point of concern in parliament, with warnings about how these ongoing invasions were set to affect Zimbabwe’s remaining protected areas. A report by a Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources earlier this year identified top military and ZANU PF figures as the individuals behind the invasion of conservancies.

But no attention has been paid to these warnings and land continues to be seized.

The invasion at Ruware also comes as Matabeleland South farmer Dudley Rogers has been threatened with eviction, allegedly for allowing an MDC rally to take place near his property.

According to the Daily News newspaper the MDC-T’s Matabeleland

South provincial chairperson, Watchy Sibanda, said two former police officers
wanted to take over Rodgers’ farm.

“We had our provincial rally about a month ago at an open space adjacent to
Rodgers’ Olympus farm and since then all has not been well there. Two former
police officers, Muhoni and Gono, have already visited the farm several times
claiming they are new owners. They also claim to have offer letters from the
ministry of lands but we wonder if those letters are genuine,” said Sibanda.

“We know ZANU PF is behind all this because they have been accusing Rodgers
of sponsoring our party,” said Sibanda.

To contact this reporter email alex@swradioafrica.com or follow on Twitter @albell88