http://allafrica.com/stories/201204090281.html


Zimbabwe: Storm Brews Over Hunting Concessions
By Ndamu Sandu, 8 April 2012


A storm is brewing after the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said it would not renew leases for six licence holders awarded to operate hunting concessions 10 years ago. The authority's board resolved last year not to renew expired leases saying the concessions should revert back to its management so that it would "sweat" the asset.

According to the board resolution of a meeting held in April 2011 "all expired leases must revert to the authority where they will be managed under a different business model".

The authority wants to auction the concessions to raise money for its operations after it was weaned off Treasury funds.

This paper was told last week that six operators with expired leases -- Charara Safaris, Doma, Tuli, Sengwa, Matetsi and Makuti -- were told to pack and go after their leases expired on December 31.

The authority has appointed KM Auctions to conduct an auction on the three concessions -- Charara, Makuti and Tuli -- at Pandhari Lodge on April 27. The fate of the other three could not be ascertained yesterday. Standardbusiness understands that a court injunction would be filed on Tuesday to stop the auction.

This has riled the affected players who are now alleging that the authority is selectively applying the rules after it recently extended the leases for some operators.

According to the players, National Parks should give them a leeway so that they pay in installments arguing that there is a precedent.

"Last year, when Chirisa's licence expired, it was renewed after it was agreed that the safari operator would pay US$180 000 in installments," said an operator.

"Chiwure North paid US$300 000 under installments. Unit 6 in Victoria Falls paid US$100 000 in renewal fees. We are saying why is it that some leases which expired were renewed but they refuse to renew ours."

Chirisa, Chiwure North and Unit 6 are owned by senior politicians and businessmen.

Thandiwe Nkomo-Ebrahim, who owns Tuli, said last week that they were trying to appeal for renewal "but so far we are not succeeding".

She said they were almost chucked out after five years but managed to convince the authority to extend the lease.

According to her, the process is not uniform as some players had their leases extended.

Retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi, who owns Charara Safaris, told Standardbusiness on Tuesday that he was not aware of problems his company was facing with its licensing.

Vitalis Chadenga, the authority's director-general, said he is constrained by ethics not to discuss the authority's business with clients in the press.

He however added that leases are given for a specific period and once they expire, the concessions revert to the authority.

Chadenga said he was not aware of any discussions underway for the extension of the leases.

When he was told that the affected operators were alleging favouritism in the extension of the leases, Chadenga said players with concerns were "free to talk to me, the board or ministry (Environment and Natural Resources Management)".

The operators got into the industry when Mugabe instructed the then Tourism minister, Victoria Chitepo, to ensure that blacks venture into the then white-dominated business.

There are now fears that the latest move by the authority would reverse the gains.

Nkomo-Ebrahim said if the concessions go for tender, there were chances that the indigenous players would not win.

Who are the operators/outfitters affected?

http://www.zimparks.org/index....or-events&Itemid=114



INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2012 MAKUTI, CHARARA AND TULI HUNTING CAMPS AUCTION



The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority will be holding the Charara, Makuti and Tuli Hunting Camps auction at Pandhari lodge in Harare, Zimbabwe on the 27th of April 2012 commencing at 1000hours.

The hunting will be conducted from hunting camps in Charara, Tuli and Makuti Safari Areas.

The animals to be hunted are packaged into bags that can be hunted over a 10 day or 14 day period. Animals on offer include elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, hippopotamus and plenty of plains game such as sable, eland, giraffe, kudu, impala, waterbuck and birds to include guinea fowls and ducks.

The brochures for the three hunting areas will be available from KM Auctions and on the Zimbabwe Parks website - www.zimparks.org

THE AUCTION WILL BE CONDUCTED IN UNITED STATES DOLLARS

A CASH participation deposit of US$5,000.00 for the hunting camps will be required in order to obtain a buyer’s number and, the deposit is refundable if all sale conditions are met.

KM Auctions (Pvt) Ltd, 20 Edison Crescent, Graniteside, Harare

Tel: +263-4-705936/7
Mobile: +263-712-207557; +263-712-203136
Email: mubaiwa@pci.co.zw / mubaiwa@mweb.co.zw

Or Parks officials on landline +263 4 707624-9 or 792731
Maria Matipano on mobile +263 714 043871
and Isaac Nyamutora on mobile +263 772 323819

SAFARI A5 BROCHURE CLICK HERE

BUZZ, Can you chime in here? What is happening? Will the auction sell more animals then there was quota in the past years?

What will become of the hunting in these concessions now? If a lease cannot be had by good operators for a pre-determined amount of time, then these areas will turn ugly....

You can't even download the Auction Brochure from the website. What good will the auction hunts be now that the season is already started?

This does not sound good at all.....

Anyone with updates, please respond.

THANK GOD....it looks like Barry & Rob Styles got there concession renewed in Matetsi 6.
I'LL TELL YOU IT IS TO DAMN BAD AMERICANS CANNOT UNIT THAT UNIT! You have to see it to believe it.

I have lodged my $5K deposit and will be bidding on 2 back to back hunts of 2 weeks each in July(Buff/Sable/Tuskless and maybe Bull Ele, Lion, Leopard as extras). If successful, my client and I will be hunting the first 2 weeks, the second half of the hunt will be open to interested parties (2 hunters). If anyone wants me to enter a bid on their behalf, I can do it under my bidder no. but I need bid specifics by COB Thursday 4/26 and I need a credit card authorization for the full amount of the bid(s) so I don't get left in the lurch.