Some of the properties which make up the 100 000 hectares conservancy
were invaded last month by suspected war veterans and Zanu (PF)
supporters, clouding the future of the both the conservancy and the
proposed centre with uncertainty.
Farmers that resettled in the conservancy, whose poor soil texture is
apparently unsuitable for agricultural activities, have resorted to
game poaching, wanton felling of trees and panning.
Conservationists in the province told The Zimbabwean that a UK- based
organisation, Sebakwe Black Rhino Conservancy Trust, the main financier
of the project, is withholding more than US$100 000 and will not
release it until it gets adequate assurance from the government that
the settlers are going to be removed from the conservancy.
Following discussions with the then Midlands provincial governor,
Cephas Msipa in 2003, the government offered 37 hectares of state land
to the conservancy education centre at a cost of Z$100 million.
"There is no clear government policy on conservancies and the continued
survival of wildlife conservancies hinges on the size of properties
making up the game sanctuary, said a conservationist.
The chairman of the Trust, Dr John Gripper recently told members at a meeting that the future of the project was not guaranteed.
Post published in: Economy