However, due to continuous power cuts in the city, Jani’s life has taken a turn for the better as he takes advantage of the lack of electricity by illegally cutting down trees in a nearby forest for resale. On a good month, Jani said he earns US$450 from firewood sales, twice the money earned by a civil servant.
Owing to persistent load shedding in many high-density suburbs, the destruction of forests for firewood purposes has become rampant, leaving little chance for the forest to recover in time.
The once green forests of Dangamvura have been reduced to a visible desert as residents indiscriminately cut down trees for energy. Forests, mountains and farms close to the city have become a source of firewood and have unfortunately been left bare, with no chances of recovery in the near future. Every morning the streets of Mutare are littered with women and children who
have dropped out school and have taken to selling firewood as their full time jobs.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Police and Forestry Commission officials have fought running battles with firewood vendors, but it seems they have ‘relaxed’ after discovering that they were fighting a losing battle.
The once-green forests surrounding Mutare.Police officers have been blamed for confiscating firewood for personal use at their homes instead of enforcing the law to stop environmental degradation. A local environmentalist said that if the load shedding continued at the current rate, Zimbabwe would become a desert, as people were not replanting trees.
Villagers from Dora Dombo said the endless power cuts that have greatly affected industries in the city were a blessing in disguise as they were earning a living out of it.
A small bundle of firewood costs around US$1. Sometimes they barter trade with sugar, salt and mealie meal. Residents interviewed said they were aware of the consequences of destroying the environment such as climate change, but they had no choice. Other residents complained that other sources of energy such as paraffin and gas were expensive. Paraffin cost US$1 for a 750 ml bottle. Residents said all the blame should be shouldered by ZESA because it was charging them tariffs, which were far beyond their reach, but giving them shoddy service.
Post published in: News