Vic Falls Lioness killed by Poachers

 From Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust website:

March 18, 2025

We’ve lost one of Zambezi National Park’s most well-known lions

Above: We are devastated to share that the Hippo Creek female – the dominant female and pride of Zambezi National Park – was killed in a targeted poaching incident. Photo: Suzanne Elliot Smith

Greetings,

We have heartbreaking news. Two weeks ago, we lost the matriarch of the Hippo Creek Pride (pictured above) to a targeted poaching incident. Many of you knew her – the dominant female and pride of Zambezi National Park. If you’ve been on safari here in the past seven years, chances are you’ve encountered this remarkable lioness.

Tragically, the losses don’t end there. Our region has seen a surge in targeted lion poaching. In December, we found the remains of another female from Zambezi National Park. Before that, our colleagues in Hwange also lost lions to targeted poaching. But these are more than just individual losses – when lions are poached, entire prides are disrupted. Cubs are left vulnerable and often killed, males move further afield to cover wider territories, and the risk of human-wildlife conflict increases.

Now, two young females (pictured below with their mother) – just four years old – are left to lead the Hippo Creek Pride. They lack their mother’s experience and roam dangerously close to the city of Victoria Falls.

Sadly, through the loss of these two lionesses, we have also likely lost five cubs. Two cubs belonging to the lioness killed in December have been confirmed dead, and although the three nine-month old cubs (pictured below) of the Hippo Creek female somehow survived the past two weeks, they are malnourished and unlikely to survive.

Zimbabwe forced to deny comical pothole photo was shot along Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road

HARARE – The government was on Monday forced to deny claims a viral image of three people believed to be tourists posing for a photo while sitting inside a huge pothole was taken along the heavily damaged Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway.

The road, which links the rest of the country to the iconic Victoria Falls, has seen years of neglect by government leading to huge craters developing on the tired infrastructure.

Calls to have the road restored to its former usable state have seemed to go unheeded by authorities who have taken their time to make the necessary repairs.

Perhaps to illustrate the extent of the damage, three cheeky tourists took an amusing image while seated snugly inside a giant crater, forcing an embarrassed government into denial after the image went viral on social media.

In a statement, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development denied the image was taken along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway.

“It has come to our attention that a social media post is circulating, showing 3 people posing in a pothole on a road claimed to be part of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway,” said the ministry.

“While we acknowledge that certain sections of the highway are in dire need of rehabilitation, the images in the post do not correspond to any section of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway.

“The sections requiring urgent attention are currently being addressed through a collaborative effort between the Department of Roads and Bitumen World. Work is already underway, with teams camped in Hwange, Halfway, and Insiza to ensure the road is rehabilitated efficiently.”

The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road also links the rest of the country to the touristy Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s biggest wildlife habitat.

It is regarded a major source of wealth for a country heavily dependent on tourism.

Source: Zimbabwe forced to deny comical pothole photo was shot along Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road (11/03/25). 

Victoria Falls signs US$1,6m land servicing deal

 THE City of Victoria Falls has signed a US$1,6 million agreement with Integrated Construction Projects (ICP) to service commercial land in the central business district, a move expected to enhance the city’s urban landscape. The project will cover BB5, a prime area with 90 commercial stands along Livingstone Way behind Sawanga Mall and the Railway Loop, which has 20 stands behind Shearwater Village. Town clerk Ronnie Dube and ICP director Tawanda Muchineripi signed the agreement on Friday last week at council offices.

The project, which includes the construction of water, sewer, stormwater systems and roads is expected to begin with immediate effect. Council will fully fund the project, with ICP pledging to complete the work in a record six months.“As the responsible authority, it is fair that we develop that area so that it gives a good ambiance for our city and benefits the people who were allocated,” Dube said.

“Hence, we advertised the tender for the works to be done and ICP won the tender for US$1,6 million, which we are going to fund using our resources.”He called on land beneficiaries under the BB5 scheme to clear any outstanding payments to assist council in financing the project.

“We urge residents, who owe council anything related to BB5, to own up so that it will also assist us,” he said. ICP worked on other projects in Victoria Falls, including the BB7 residential area and the construction of a water reservoir. 

Muchineripi expressed confidence in meeting the ambitious six-month deadline. “The contract period is 12 months, but we envisage and we will endeavour to finish within six months, which will be record time,” he said.“We are sure of the support of council and with the support of all the residents we will be able to achieve this.”The development is expected to boost commercial activity in Victoria Falls by providing fully serviced stands for business investors.

Source: Victoria Falls signs US$1,6m land servicing deal (10 March 2025)

New Mecca of Zimbabwe Cricket takes shape

 ZIMBABWE Cricket (ZC) Managing Director, Givemore Makoni, has announced significant progress at the Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, situated in the resort city of Victoria Falls. The foundation stone for the multi-purpose 10 000-seater stadium was laid in May last year, and Makoni told Saturday Chronicle that most of the groundwork has been completed. The stadium is set to be finished in time for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, which Zimbabwe will co-host with South Africa and Namibia.

Makoni reported that substantial progress has been made in earthworks, with the field levelled and centre and nets wickets planted.

“We have made significant progress in terms of earthwork. Levelling the ground has been done to ensure that the outfield maintains the same levels. We have also planted wickets on the main pitch and for practice. We have also done the 30 yards for the main pitch. Right now, we are working on the grass embankment, and then the main building structures will follow soon after. We have also secured the area with an electric fence. So, we have really made some significant progress, and everything is well on course and up to plan,” said Makoni.

In addition to the 2027 World Cup, Zimbabwe will co-host the 2026 ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup with Namibia. Makoni stated that the new ground, touted as the “New Mecca” of Zimbabwean cricket, is primarily earmarked for the 2027 global showpiece.

“The Mosi-oa-Tunya Cricket Stadium is earmarked mainly for the 2027 World Cup. Maybe there might be some practice sessions held there for the Under-19 World Cup, but the target is 2027. We are confident that we will meet that target,” Makoni said.

ZC was awarded 10 hectares within the Masuwe Special Economic Zone for the construction of the stadium. Located in a coveted tourist destination, the stadium is set to eclipse the conventional cricketing hub — Harare Sports Club — with the magnetic charm and splendour of Victoria Falls. The stadium is expected to be a visual delight, a sterling addition not only to Zimbabwe but to the international cricket community. Moreover, it is anticipated to be a significant boon for the nation’s sports tourism sector.

Makoni highlighted that the stadium would also benefit the local community, having a substantial tourism impact. Apart from Victoria Falls, he revealed plans to ensure that every province in the country gets a first-class international facility to spread and develop the game in all corners of the country.

“Our main objective is to make sure that cricket is the number one sport in the country. The stadium in Victoria Falls is huge for tourism; there is a footprint there. Apart from that, we have also earmarked land in Dangamvura in Mutare and in Gweru to develop first-class venues. We also have the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy being built in Matabeleland South in Esigodini. We are on point in trying to decentralise and spread the game across the country,” he said.

Makoni further said that part of their decentralisation effort is to ensure that everyone gets the chance to play cricket, as it is a game that can change lives.

“We want everyone to play cricket. We want the majority, from all backgrounds, to be able to play cricket. Cricket makes a difference; look at the likes of Tatenda Taibu, Chris Mpofu, and Hamilton Masakadza, for example. We want kids all over, down in remote areas, to play cricket; that’s our main target. We want disadvantaged kids to play cricket. There is nothing special about this game; it’s a game for everyone, and for all,” said Makoni.

The 2027 Cricket World Cup is scheduled for October/November. Meanwhile, the 2027 World Cup co-hosts, Namibia, have also made significant progress with their FNB Namibia Cricket Ground, situated in Windhoek. The 7 000-seater state-of-the-art facility is nearing completion and will be the first venue in Namibia to host any World Cup game.

“The journey to developing Namibia’s new international cricket stadium has been a meticulously planned process, aligning with our vision of positioning the country as a top-tier Associate Member. Having a world-class cricket venue is a milestone that solidifies Namibia’s status as a leading Associate Member. It signifies our commitment to long-term cricketing excellence, not only in on-field performance but in administrative and infrastructural development. This stadium will serve as a beacon for cricket in Africa, ensuring Namibia remains a host nation for top-tier ICC events and a key player in global cricket discussions,” said Cricket Namibia CEO, Johan Muller.

Source: New Mecca of Zimbabwe Cricket takes shape (08/03/25)

See Also

Ambitions for an international-standard cricket stadium at Victoria Falls first put forward in 2010 (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 2nd July 2010). Land just off Pioneer Road in Victoria Falls’ industrial site between the railway line and Chinotimba suburb was allocated for the project, before the plans were finally shelved in 2016 following lack of investment interest (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 24th October 2016). Project resurrected in 2024. Read more on the Keep Victoria Falls Wild website.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (16th May 2024) Vic Falls cricket stadium to be completed by August 2025 – govt.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (21st May 2024) Opposition legislator fumes over proposed Vic Falls stadium.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (22nd May 2024) Parliament raises red flags on proposed Victoria Falls cricket stadium.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (22nd May 2024) Zimbabwe Government plans to develop Victoria Falls ignore impacts on World Heritage Site.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (24th May 2024) Concerns grow over costs and impacts of controversial Victoria Falls Cricket Stadium proposal.

thesadiumbusiness.com (25th May 2024) Work begins on Victoria Falls’ Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (25th May 2024) Victoria Falls cricket ground to broaden tourism products.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (4th July 2024) Zimbabwe building stadium near scenic Victoria Falls, project funded by ICC.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (8th March 2025) New Mecca of Zimbabwe Cricket takes shape.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (27th June 2025) Multi-purpose stadium to unlock sporting talent in Matabeleland North.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (7th August 2025) Presidential blessing for Victoria Falls Cricket Stadium.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (3rd September 2025) Construction of Victoria Falls Cricket Ground takes shape

Read more on the Keep Victoria Falls website. 

Minister defends Vic Falls Town Clerk, accuses residents’ groups of politics

Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe has vehemently denied any wrongdoing in the reinstatement of Victoria Falls Town Clerk Ronnie Dube, a decision which sparked widespread controversy, with residents accusing the government of protecting an official accused of corruption and misconduct.

The town clerk’s suspension and subsequent reinstatement last year sparked outrage among residents while raising questions about transparency and accountability in local governance.

Residents accused the minister of protecting Dube and undermining efforts to root out corruption.

However Garwe, vehemently denies any wrongdoing, insisting the decision to reinstate the town clerk was based on procedural concerns and a desire to avoid costly legal battles.

In an interview with CITE, Garwe addressed the growing public outcry, stating his interference was to save the credibility of the local authority.

“Who are these residents? Firstly, the residents’ associations are a grouping of people of like minds. It’s not an organisation informed by the Constitution. There is no constitutional provision for those. For lack of a better example, they are just like a burial society. But be that as it may, the citizens, the residents, they have the right to air their complaints,” he said.

The controversy surrounding the town clerk began on December 2, 2024, when Victoria Falls Mayor Prince Thuso Moyo, acting on a resolution from a full council meeting, suspended Dube over allegations of misconduct. 

The allegations included the unprocedural allocation of residential stands, irregularities in awarding contracts, and the fraudulent sale of land. 

A Board of Inquiry was established on December 4, 2024 by the Mayo to investigate the claims, which found “criminal acts were committed” by the town clerk.

Among other irregularities, the board found 12 stands were set aside under instructions by the town clerk. 

“The Vetting Committee was later given names to allocate the same stands to. They did say that two of the stands were then allocated to Portia Sarutsozo, an alleged girlfriend of Ronnie Dube and Priscilla Thabolo, Ronnie Dube’s former wife. The applicants who had indicated interest but did not qualify but were still allocated stands included Moreblessing Tomu ( Dube’s wife),” read part of the inquiry report.

Other beneficiaries allegedly included Dr Fulton Upenyu Mangwanya, who became Director General of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) this year, Jenfan Muswere – the Information Minister and former MP, Temba Mliswa.

After the town clerk was suspended, the minister intervened, instructing the council to reinstate Dube.

Garwe defended his decision, arguing the mayor and councillors had failed to follow due process in suspending Dube.

“We never said, ‘don’t remove or don’t investigate.’ We simply said, based on history, the government is losing a lot of money in paying for lawsuits. When we go to court, we lose, because we lose on a technicality. So we said, ‘reinstate the Town Clerk and then start the process accordingly,’” he said.

The minister revealed the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) had been invited to investigate the Victoria Falls council as a whole, rather than focusing solely on Dube.

“After the town clerk was reinstated, we invited ZACC to come to Victoria Falls and investigate Victoria Falls as a council, not only an individual. It’s now a work in progress. Once that is done, decisions to be made thereafter will be informed by the legitimate report from ZACC, not the report that was being floated on social media,” Garwe said.

Garwe also criticised the mayor for succumbing to pressure from residents’ associations, which he accused of pursuing political agendas.

“If we had gone to court, we would have lost because the mayor met with a group of members of the so-called residents’ association in the morning. At lunchtime, he called the town clerk and gave him a suspension letter. Then in the evening, the council called for a full council meeting to pass a resolution. Already, there is a problem there,” he said.

Garwe noted the importance of following due process, noting the mayor should have first raised his concerns with Dube then issued a written warning before moving to suspend him.

“That’s why I was saying, why don’t you follow due process, do things properly? The mayor should have called the Town Clerk and raised issues that he was not happy about. ‘We have one, two, three, four issues that we’re not happy about, Mr Town Clerk.’ That is then followed by a written warning then other processes.”

He also dismissed the residents’ associations as unrepresentative and driven by political motives. 

“In any event, the town clerk is not the only person guilty of some misconduct. It’s the whole system. So we said, instead of focusing on one person, because you have personal differences, why don’t we formally invite ZACC to come and carry out an investigative audit of the areas of concern, particularly on the issue of allocation of state land,” Garwe said.

“That’s where the problem is with all these local authorities, land. That’s what is happening now. But those residents associations were pursuing political agendas. They wanted to further political agendas. We are above some of these political agendas. We are professionals. We want to do things properly and then move forward.”

Despite Garwe’s assurances, the residents of Victoria Falls remain unconvinced. 

Last year, in an open letter to the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Matabeleland North, Richard Moyo, the residents expressed their dismay.

“We, however, as the inhabitants of the area and ratepayers whose assets (land, finances, services, and rights) were allegedly usurped by Mr. Ronnie Dube, were dismayed by the Hon Minister’s instruction. We still do not understand why the Hon Minister would stop an investigation into corruption,” read the letter.

The residents argued no expense should be spared in the fight against corruption, pointing out that the Board of Inquiry’s findings aligned with an earlier ZACC report that went viral on social media.

“The minister’s explanation that the investigation would be too costly for the inhabitants of the town since the VFCC had constituted ‘two bodies of inquiries’ was simply misinformed and thereby factually defective. We still do not understand which second body of inquiry the minister was referring to because the council appointed only one Board of Inquiry as mentioned above. We also believe that no expense must be spared to rid the VFCC of the corrosive cancer of corruption.”

The residents also criticised Garwe for meeting with the Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) while refusing to engage with other stakeholders. 

They accused him of politicising the issue and undermining the independence of ZACC. 

“The minister did not come all the way from the capital Harare to announce that the ZACC report is a fraud. He came to Victoria Falls town to, albeit too late, investigate the circumstances and the merits surrounding the suspension of the town clerk by the mayor. After refusing to address the stakeholders who were waiting outside the venue, the wise move was to tackle the real issues with the Zanu PF DCC. He did not.”

The residents of Victoria Falls have vowed to keep fighting for accountability. 

“We, the people of Victoria Falls, pledge that we will not rest until justice is served. We want the stands Ronnie Dube allegedly allocated to his wife, former wife, girlfriends, cronies, bribe-payers, to be repossessed by council and allocated to deserving people on the waiting list. “We call upon the office of the Hon Minister of State for Matabeleland North to ensure that the suspended Town Clerk stays suspended until he sees his day in court or before a labour/disciplinary tribunal or both,” read the letter.

ZACC spokesperson Simiso Mlevu confirmed they were “investigating the corruption allegations at the Victoria Falls council.”

“And these are still ongoing. Our investigations started in November last year. Once investigations are complete, the public will be updated,” Mlevu said.

Source: Minister defends Vic Falls Town Clerk, accuses residents’ groups of politics (05/03/2025)

READ MORE:

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (13th October 2025) Furore over Victoria Falls housing stands recall.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (23rd August 2025) Vic Falls residents push for clarity in Town Clerk corruption probe.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (10th July 2025) Victoria Falls Residents Consortium slams opposition-led council over alleged corruption, poor service delivery 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (6th March 2025) Minister defends Vic Falls Town Clerk, accuses residents’ groups of politics.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (8th December 2024) Government reverses 'unprocedural suspension' of Victoria Falls Town Clerk Ronnie Dube.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (6th December 2024) Public funds being wasted investigating lies, says suspended Vic Falls Town Clerk.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (5th December 2024) Corruption and abuse of office - Victoria Falls Town Clerk and 2024 CEO of the year suspended.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (4th December 2024) Multi-million-dollar scandal rocks Victoria Falls council.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (15th June 2024) Pushback as Victoria Falls council boss clings to power.

See Also:

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (23rd January 2024) Victoria Falls former Mayor Somveli Dhlamini loses appeal against conviction, sentence.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (30th January 2023) Govt says Vic Falls TC Ronnie Dube must face the music.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (5th January 2023) Victoria Falls council probe team completes investigations 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (30th October 2022) Victoria Falls Town Clerk Refuses To Resign Over Corruption Allegations. 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (7th October 2022) Land scam: Vic Falls Mayor Dhlamini arrested. 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (11th June 2022) Stands corruption storm in Victoria Falls 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (27th June 2021) Victoria Falls town clerk reinstated.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (26th June 2021) Vic Falls Town Clerk Ronnie Dube reinstated 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (20th June 2021) Suspended town clerk gets windfall.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (14th May 2021) Victoria Falls Councillors Accuse Minister July Moyo Of Meddling.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (30th April 2021) Town Clerk Dube suspended.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (14th May 2020) Minister Moyo Settles MDC Factions’ Victoria Falls Mayoral Dispute. 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (29th February 2020) MDC expels Victoria Falls mayor for defying party directive. 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (10th February 2020) Victoria Falls mayor arrested.