Zanu mafia in Lowveld land grab

An in-depth investigation by The Zimbabwean ****** has revealed that the nations political crisis is actually reverberating with shocking intensity deep in the magical wilderness of Save Valley Conservancy, the world’s biggest private game reserve. Over the past two months, besieged safari operators have been forced to cede 50 to 80 percent shareholding in their properties to Zanu (PF) officials, top police and military officials. Most of the investors, who include Italian, American, Dutch and South African nationals, have investment certificates but half their property has been taken away. They described the latest grab as a “Mafia-style take-over”. Last week minister Nhema convened a meeting with safari operators and warned them against resisting the move.

A week earlier, governor Maluleke had pulled up at Humani Safari Ranch and told the owner that his new partners were now demanding their share. Major General Engelbert Rugeje, the Chief of Staff of the Zimbabwe National Army, and Chiredzi South Zanu (PF) MP Ailess Baloyi have since taken over 50 percent shareholding without putting in even a cent. The Zimbabwean heard that the matter was brought to the attention of President Robert Mugabe on Monday, and discussed in cabinet on Tuesday. One foreign safari operator forced to cede his shareholding, told this newspaper: “If you attack wildlife, you are attacking your national herd, you are attacking your national heritage. When you attack the properties for foreigners, you are endangering the recovery of the country as a whole.”

List of plunderers

According to several ranchers in the area, who cannot be identified as they will certainly suffer political persecution if they are known, the Zanu (PF) MP for Chiredzi North, Ronald Ndava, and Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Douglas Mombeshora, have forced their way onto Bedford Block Ranch. Salisio Jangwe, from Manyame Air Force Base in Harare, Nyasha Pambireyi, a multiple farm owner, Farai Mukota from Highlands in Harare, and Jeddy Jaboon have grabbed shareholding in Chishakwe Ranch. Bradah Maunganidze, a former principal director in the Anti-Corruption and Anti-Monopolies Department in the Office of the President, has taken over shareholding in Gunundwe Ranch, and is said to have swapped partnership allocation from Ruwari Ranch for Gunundwe. Maunganidze is currently non-resident in Zimbabwe and is said to be running a pyschiatric practice in France. Governor Maluleke, a multiple farm owner of note, and Lt. Colonel David Moyo have grabbed shareholding in Hammond Ranch.

Chief Tshovani and Thompson Zvinavashe have grabbed 50 percent shareholding in Impala Ranch, again without bringing in even a cent. But Zvinavashe, son of the late former commander of Zimbabwe’s Defence Forces, General Vitalis Zvinavashe, has a letter of “use of land on caretakership basis” for the 1885ha ranch. The late Zvinavashe’s real first name was Thompson, a name he also gave his son. Traditional Chief Gudo, Josiah Passi, a multiple farm owner, and Gladman Chibimeme have grabbed Levanga. Brigadier General Gibson Mashingaidze, Vitalis Chadenga, a deputy director in the National Parks who is also a multiple farm owner, provincial administrator Chikoro, and Zanu (PF) Gutu East parliamentary candidate in the 2008 poll, Bertha Chikwama, have grabbed up to 80 percent shareholding in Mapari Ranch. Zanu (PF)’s chairman for Manicaland province Enock Porusingazi, said to own close to a dozen farms, and Assistant Commissioner Dube from Masvingo provincial police have grabbed shareholding in Masapas Safari Ranch.

Tongai Muzenda, last son of the late Vice President Simon Muzenda, and Raymond Musimbwa, Grey Mushava, Elliot Takawira have muscled onto Mokore Safari Ranch. Former Cabinet minister and Zanu (PF) Gutu South legislator Shuvai Mahofa, a multiple farm owner; and Colonel Mokova have grabbed shareholding in Savuli Safari Ranch. Minister of Higher Education Stan Mudenge and Chiredzi East Zanu (PF) MP have seized shareholding in Senuko Safari Ranch.

Grim Takeover

One safari operator told The Zimbabwean about the grim takeover. “He (Nhema) just gets you into a room and says meet your partners. You say, ‘what do you mean, I dont need partners?’ And they say I told you, you are gonna get new partners. You sort it out yourself.” Another operator forced to share his company said: “This is obviously payoff for the (Zanu (PF)) guys that have been faithful, all the guys who they think can muscle their way in.” The safari operator said it was “travesty and a joke” that Nhema, the chairman of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, was at the forefront of such brazen and illegal property violations. “He (Nhema) is encouraging Mafia tactics. You would think he would be the one policing this.” But Nhema said: “We have always maintained that blacks have been sidelined from the lucrative business of running conservancies. Hence were decided to give our people 99-year leases to the properties.” Asked to comment on the composition of the beneficiaries, the minister said they were the only people who were on the waiting list. Safari operators said Nhema was seduced by the massive amounts of cash being declared to National Parks for hunts, but did not realise that massive investment was being pumped into the conservancies by the owners.

Seduced by cash

Another operator said it was heartbreaking that after investing US$8 million in his conservancy, he was forced to accept new partners who would share his profits but not the overhead costs. Save Valley Conservancy was created when 25 cattle breeders, whose businesses were failing because of the severe 1992 drought, amalgamated their land.

The government gave the project its blessing and the international consortium which created the conservancy created a stakeholder scheme called Campfire, under which local residents would make money from the sale of excess stock. Today, Save has 800 elephants, 1,500 zebras, as well as lions, cheetahs, leopards and other predators, and 400 species of birds. But its greatest success has been in creating an environment in which more than 70 black rhinos – out of only 2,400 in the world – and 92 wild dogs are thriving. The wildlife lobby warns that the property grab would render futile any attempts by the GNU to revive tourism -currently down to a trickle of regional visitors at reserves like Save and Victoria Falls.

In addition, Zimbabwe’s European Union meat sales licence is in jeopardy because 14km of Save’s perimeter fence has been destroyed by poachers, raising the possibility that foot-and-mouth disease in the reserve’s 1,000-strong buffalo population could spread to cattle.