The Zimbabwean is reliably informed that the senior officials have not set foot on the properties since their hunting leases were cancelled by government more than two months ago.
Environment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere had said that government would take over all the properties and compensate the rightful owners – including those protected by bilateral agreements.
But the former chairman of the Save Valley Conservancy, Clive Stockhill, who owns one of the properties, said party bigwigs had moved out. “We all believe that they followed a politburo decision to vacate this area and to us it is a good development because we believe in dialogue,” said Stockhill.
Masvingo provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti confirmed the move. “I signed letters of cancellation of their hunting permits long back and by now we expect and believe that everyone has moved out as per government directive,” he said.
“We are no longer talking to the press on such issues ,”said Gutu senator Shuva Mahofa who had been awarded a lease to hunt in sanctuary.
“As government we are going to move into those properties that are not protected by bilateral agreements and our new position is that we are not going to take over the properties that are protected,” said Kasukuwere. “Officials from the department of parks and wildlife have already moved in.”
Stockhill queried the presence of these officials, saying “If their presence is just that of coming in to see how we are operating and supervising then we have no problems, but if the aim is for disruption then no one would want it.”
The conservancies were established after the great drought of 1991/92. The area used to be a cattle ranching area but after all the animals died in the drought, farmers switched into wildlife management. All the animals in the sanctuary were bought and it took 10 to 15 years to restore ecological stability in the area.
Post published in: News