Chief calls for overhaul of CAMPFIRE

Victoria Falls reporter
April 22, 2009


CHIEF Mvutu of Chidobe area in Hwange West has called on the Government to do a complete overhaul of the resource strapped Communal Administration Management Programme for Indigenous Resources project (Campfire) so that communities may start benefiting from the wild animals in their areas.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the Training Workshop for the newly resettled farmers in Sekabelo Donrovin on the outskirts of Victoria Falls yesterday, Chief Mvutu said, CAMPFIRE can not even deal with problem animals wrecking havoc in the area.
CAMPFIRE runs from Monde to Cheomba. Chief Mvutu added that for the past 15years that it has been in existence, communities had not benefited anything as the project managers have always been complaining of the lack of resources.
“The villagers in my area and even those from other areas are not benefiting anything because CAMPFIRE has no resources. It has nothing, only two motor bikes and two people on the ground to cover a distance of about 150km. They have no ammunition or anything to kill animals for the villagers. They now rely of Safari operators who in turn need licences to hunt and this takes time to be approved,” he said.
He said this year, 15 problem elephants in his area had been gunned down by safari operators while CAMPFIRE watched from a distance.
“What bothers us is that the animals killed either as problem animals or those from our annual quota have not been accounted for. The safari operators hunt the animals and take them to Rural District Council but, we have not received a single cent,” bemoaned Chief Mvutu.
Villagers are supposed to get 70 percent from the hunting proceeds but in most areas villagers have complained that they do not benefit anything. The work shop which was called by the Veterinary Livestock technician, Ms Siyanaloli Kakobili was meant to among other things, empower farmers with ways of keeping their herd free from disease, to promote good land husbandry for sustainable development and encourage self sustenance among farmers.

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
Chief calls for overhaul of CAMPFIRE

Victoria Falls reporter
April 22, 2009


CHIEF Mvutu of Chidobe area in Hwange West has called on the Government to do a complete overhaul of the resource strapped Communal Administration Management Programme for Indigenous Resources project (Campfire) so that communities may start benefiting from the wild animals in their areas.

Well, yes, that was the idea all along....
At least someone has eventually realized that CAMPFIRE is stealing all the loot. I could have told them that a few months after CAMPFIRE'S inception.

Like with all these schemes/projects in Zim, those who have been in charge have to fired and new teams hired. All of the CAMPFIRE senior personnel have to go, and then they can start again. The same with ARDA etc. Thieves, every damned one of them.

It is really funny here right now, if one has a certain dark sense of humor, as I do have at times. All these criminals who have been shouting the odds and ripping the system are living in terror of prosecution. Yesterday, Gono, the reserve bank governor, publicly admitted to stealing millions from private individuals and company bank accounts!! Everyone knew he did, but to publicly admit it!! He pleaded for people to 'let bygones be bygones', ha ha. Ja, right, we will never forget what has happened here and justice will be done one day. Hopefully one day soon. Slowly the pendulum is swinging....