Official documents indicate that Machaya has been given authority by the Lands Minister Herbert Murerwa and his Agriculture counterpart Joseph Made to acquire 42 000 hectares at the game park.
The famous Chirisa Safari Game Park is situated in the central part of Midlands province, halfway between Victoria Falls and Harare. It is one of the best big game hunting concessions in Zimbabwe. The Safari area provides an important link for elephant migration from the Zambezi Valley through to the central plateau and Hwange National Park.
Surface details of the planned project indicate that the land “will be subdivided to resettle 5 000 families from the two districts of Gokwe who are suffering because of shortage of commercial farming space”.
Cecilia Chitiyo, the Midlands Provincial Administrator, confirmed the plan and told The Zimbabwean that the official launch of the project was likely to take place next week.
“I understand that there is going to be a launch of the scheme next week but I do not have finer details,” she said.
However, according to sources, the project is not going to be in the hands of the government but will be run by Zanu (PF) top brass hoping to garner support ahead of the elections. It is also understood that top party big wigs will allocate themselves pieces of the safari park.
“The project is going to be devastating to the country’s economy because of its influence on routes leading to the Zambezi Valley and Hwange National Game Park. Again, it will be impossible to control poaching of the wildlife after the resettlement of these people,” said the source.
Post published in: News