Hwange villagers living in fear of landmines

 VILLAGERS in parts of Hwange District, especially Chisuma and Sizinda areas, are living in fear for their lives following the discovery of four landmines within a month.

On January 23, village head for Dibutibu under Chief Mvuthu, Mr Jabulani Ncube (51), discovered an M969 anti-personnel landmine lying on the ground while he was rounding up cattle.

Another one was found by another villager Mr Chitida Dube (61) of neighbouring Sizinda Village on February 11.

A special unit was dispatched by the Zimbabwe National Army last week on Friday in the company of police to detonate the landmines and they found that villagers had discovered another one in the same area.

Chisuma and Sizinda are closer to Zambezi River on the border with Zambia.

The three landmines were detonated.

Last week an 11-year-old girl from Mwebe Village under Chief Wange had her right leg amputed just above the knee after a landmine detonated while she was playing with her sibling and two cousins behind a hut.

Preliminary investigations by police show that the landmines have been exposed by heavy rains that have been falling in the country.

A demining exercise was carried out a few years ago in the area just as in other parts of the country, especially those along the borders where there where landmines were planted during the liberation war.

Police in respective areas have embarked on awareness campaigns in areas lying along the border to conscientise communities to be alert.

Acting Chief Mvuthu Mr Bishop Matata Sibanda said his subjects are living in fear.

“We know they once removed some landmines and i think these ones are being exposed by the rains. To us elders we can identify a landmine but the fear is about children. So we are trying to raise awareness so that whenever they come across any suspicious object they should report to the police or local leaders. Recently we had three that were discovered in our area and were detonated. People are really scared but we are assuring them that as long as they don’t attempt to detonate these things they will be safe,” said the acting Chief Mvuthu.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed the discovery of the landmines.

He implored members of the public to be wary of any suspicious objects.

“Our appeal to members of the public is that whenever they discover anything they know to be a landmine or anything they don’t know they should not attempt to detonate it. Children should be taught not to touch any suspicious objects,” he said. 

Source: Hwange villagers living in fear of landmines (24/02/2021)

Bad roads negatively impact on domestic tourism

 Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

THE tourism industry has implored the Government to urgently fix the country’s major roads that have been damaged by heavy rains to ensure smooth domestic travel.

A majority of the country’s roads are heavily damaged with motorists incurring huge repair costs due to potholes while some bridges on gravel roads have been washed away, leaving some communities isolated.

The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road, a key tourism link, is also in a deplorable state — filled with potholes especially on a stretch of 30km either side of Hwange.

The stretch between Gwayi River and Lupane, as well as between St Luke’s and Mbembesi River and around Insuza are also affected.

There have also been calls to rehabilitate Cross Dete-Binga/Mlibizi Road, which also links Victoria Falls with those coming off the houseboats from Kariba. Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road, which also connects to the Hwange National Park from the northern direction, is equally in a deplorable state.

Some motorists have expressed concern saying the road is now a ‘death trap’ and driving along it is a nightmare.

Government recently declared the country’s roads a state of disaster with efforts being made to mobilise resources to rehabilitate the road network.

Players in the tourism industry say a bad road network negates efforts to revive tourism and have called for urgent rehabilitation of all key roads.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) Victoria Falls chapter chair Mr Anald Musonza said trafficable roads are key in the absence of air transport.

“The road network in Zimbabwe is so important given our drive for domestic tourism and the lack of reliable air services to various tourist destinations in Zimbabwe,” he said.

“More and more of our domestic tourists are self-drives and we need a good road network that allows people to move in an accident-free fashion.

“The current state of our roads begs for urgent attention and redress as we have most of our roads being potholed.

The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road is super-important to this destination Victoria Falls as it links us to the rest of the country where our local tourists come from. Our appeal as an industry is to have all our major road networks fixed including the one linking our Matabeleland North capital Lupane to Midlands as it gives a shorter link to Victoria Falls.”

The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road leads to the country’ prime tourism destination and connects Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa through Bulawayo. It is widely used by self-drives visiting the destination. Mr Musonza said in the absence of airline services for tourist movement, a good road network becomes a major enabler of free access and movement of tourists.

He said with the current Covids-19 imposed travel restrictions and closed borders, internal human movement should be encouraged by availing a good road network system. — @ncubeleon

Source: Bad roads negatively impact on domestic tourism (19/02/21)

Campaign to Save Siansimba Gains Momentum

Campaign to Save Siansimba Gains Momentum

Campaign against the development of the Zambezi National Park campsite, Siansimba, as a private tourism concession gains momentum whilst the deadline for public consultation and comment is extended to 28th February.

By Peter Roberts, 17th February 2021

View of the Zambezi River from the Siansimba campsite (Image credit: Save Siansimba Facebook group).

The Magic of the Falls

Part of the magic of Victoria Falls town is that it not only offers access to the natural wonder of the Victoria Falls, enough to take anyone's breath away, but also easy access to wonderful wilderness and wildlife safari experiences for those unable to pay the 'big bucks' to visit luxury high end safari lodges and camps in more famous National Parks.

For local residents and regional travellers, budget backpackers and small independent groups, the town offers a wealth of options to experience a memorable taste of the African safari - including half-day, full-day and multi-day options for game drives, horse rides, and canoe and rafting trips (above and below the falls, with varying degrees of 'fear factor'!). With elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, and several antelope species, plus a wealth of birdlife, there is much to explore and discover.

Within half an hour of leaving your town hotel or lodge you can be driving upstream through the protected Zambezi National Park, watching elephants or listening to the grunts of territorial hippopotamus staking their claims in the river.

Until recently the Park boasted few facilities, with a series of riverside picnic spots and campsites, allowing visitors to stop and break their trips under the shade of the riverine forest that fringes the river or set up tented camps and experience the magic of the bush at night at one of seven dedicated campsites.

Overnight facilities for visitors to the park used to include three dedicated Fishing Camps (Kandahar, Siansimba, and Mpala Jena) with flushing toilet, cold shower and sleeping shelter, and four 'minimum development' picnic camps (Chundu 1, Chundu 2, Chomunzi and Siamunungu) with braai stand and bush toilet, all suitable for groups up to twelve people.

After decades of under investment and management, the camps were all in a rather dilapidated state, hardly encouraging visitors to these scenic spots, with one tourism agent describing them as suiting the more 'adventurous traveller.'

Over the last decade, however, there has been a steady trend in the licensing of these public campsites as private concessions, with tourism companies developing exclusive luxury safari lodges. Ten years ago there were no private concessions within the Park. Today there are four riverside lodges - Victoria Falls River Lodge, Mpala Jena Camp, Zambezi Sands River Camp (located at Chomunzi) and the Old Drift Lodge; and three island camps - Victoria Falls Island Treehouse Lodge (located on Kandahar Island), Chundu Island Lodge, and Tsowa Safari Island.

Zambezi National Park. Photo credit: Peter Roberts

Siansimba River Lodge

In January 2021 it was announced that Siansimba, one of only two remaining public fishing camps within the National Park, was to be developed as a private safari concession, together with an associated development at the pristine wilderness site of Siansimba Springs.

"Tusker Investments (Pvt) Ltd t/a Sansimba River Lodge, a duly registered Zimbabwean company, intends to establish a safari camp in the Zambezi National Park. The company has secured a lease from the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, to lease a portion of the Zambezi National Park, measuring about 0.5 km2, located at the confluence of Sansimba River and the Zambezi River. The proposed camp will be mainly for photographic safari, picnics, bush dinners & game drives. The camp will result in the construction of semi-permanent tourist accommodation facilities with a capacity to hold not more than 24 beds. It will also see the establishment of supporting infrastructure such as site offices, ablution facilities, a central communal area which will be used as a dining or cooking area and also some staff quarters, accommodating up to 6 staff. All structures at the camp will be semi-permanent in the forms of tents. The camp will use natural sources of power (solar & gas) for lighting & heating. The ultimate benefit of the project is to promote local & international tourism & at the same time, harnessing the much-needed foreign currency as well as creating employment for the local community." (Facebook, 8th January 2021)

It would leave only one remaining pubic fishing camp available within the National Park, Kandahar, although rumours indicate it is also in the process of being allocated as a private concession (Victoria Falls 24, 5th February 2021), and two public picnic camps - Chundu 2 and Siamunungu - both of which are also surrounded by local rumours of having also been licensed as private concessions.

Unsustainable Development?

The Siansimba proposal has received negative criticism from local residents and small independent tourism operators, who yet again face loosing access to a popular camping site, which they can all use for reasonable park entry and camping fees, and further restricting access to the Park for residents and independent travellers. A Save Siansimba Facebook group has been created appealing for the campsite to remain open to the public, available to all, and a Save Siansimba online petition opened for people to register their support against the development.

Campaign spokesperson Chenai Dodzo said the proposal to lease the site as a private concession should be of concern to all Zimbabweans. They argue that affordable access to National Parks for residents is part of the birth-right and heritage of all Zimbabweans, and it is time to speak up “before it’s too late.”

“This is more about public spaces. There are fewer and fewer spots that we can go to. If Siansimba can go, what’s next? All the public campsites in Hwange, Nyanga, Mana Pools? Where does it stop? The Falls themselves? Zimbabweans should be very concerned.”

At a time when the country's tourism sector is trying to re-align itself to local and regional tourism to survive it seams counter-intuitive that these private concessions should be announced - and which will result in some of the prime visitor sites in the Park becoming exclusive safari camps outside of the financial reach of most local and regional tourists.

“Concessions have a place in our parks - we are not anti-development,”  Dodzo added. “We are simply asking that public campsites remain just that, public. Why should I have to pay $200, $300, $400 a night to go and access something that should be my right?"

"How will we attract local and regional visitors to the Park if these sites are all private concessions aimed and priced at international tourists? How will we educate tomorrow's decision makers and defenders of our natural heritage to support their National Parks and respect wildlife if they have never had the opportunity to experience these places?"

A local stakeholder's organisation, Victoria Falls Enviro Watch, has been campaigning for clearer regulation of private concessions in the Park, calling for a comprehensive management and monitoring plan regarding their benefits and impacts.

"Several lodges have been built in the Zambezi National park (ZNP) over the last few years. The building of these new lodges is beneficial to the park in many ways, but most importantly is the fact that they reduce the amount of poaching, due to more presence in the park. However, there is a limit as to how many lodges the Park can handle, before there is an adverse effect, due to over-tourism. VFEW feels that there is a desperate need for a Zambezi Park plan to understand and deal with this issue. To compile such a plan, there needs to be a professional in-depth study done on the ZNP, which analyses the impact on the environment of more lodges" (Victoria Falls Enviro Watch, February 2019)

Victoria Falls Enviro Watch Chairperson Tony Peel said the Siansimba allocation raised serious concerns.

“This sets a dangerous precedent for further unsustainable development within the park. When will these allocation sites end? The need for a comprehensive Zambezi Park Plan is now greater than ever. The site is already allocated as a public campsite and turning it into an exclusive site contravenes the Constitution of Zimbabwe.” (Victoria Falls 24, February 2021).

Local Victoria Falls lawyer, Paul Connolly, is bringing a lawsuit against the company behind the Siansimba development, Tusker Investments. His application states that the allocation of Siansimba contravenes the constitutional rights of the Zimbabwean public.

Zimparks Public Relations Manager Mr Tinashe Farawo has indicated the licensing of private concessions was essential for an Authority suffering significantly decreased tourism revenues due to the global pandemic.

“If we don’t do that, where will we get resources to look after our wildlife? We have no other avenues of making money... we have no tourists coming to do activities with us, so what they are pushing for is not something that we can say is a community uproar but instead saves to benefit some few individuals.” (cite.org.zw, February 2021)

Sunrise in the Zambezi National Park. Photo credit: Peter Roberts

Deadline for Comment Extended 

The original deadline for comments on the proposal has been extended to 28th February.

"Please note that those who still wish to participate in the Stakeholder Consultation exercise for the Siansimba Tented Safari Camp Project you can still participate by sending your comments to info@greenspace.co.zw or via WhatsApp 0772618130. However, due to low response so far, we have extended our deadline for receiving responses to the 28th of February. This is to give all those interested time and chance to participate. NOTE: Those wishing to participate, you can request for a questionnaire form to fill in your comments and details. Requests should be sent to the above details." (Facebook, 11th February)

You can download the Stakeholder Consultation questionnaire here.

References

cite.org.za (February 2021) Uproar over privatisation of campsites in Victoria Falls.

Facebook (January 2021) EIA Stakeholder Consultation For Siansimba Tented Safari Camp - Zambezi National Park. 8th January 2021.

Facebook (February 2021) Comment on EIA notice, 11th February 2021. 

Victoria Falls 24 (February 2021) Battle To Save Last Remaining Public Campsites In Zambezi National Park. 5th February.

Victoria Falls Enviro Watch (February 2019) Zambezi Park Plan. 1st February 2019.

Battle to save Zimbabwe’s public campsites

 A fight to save one of the last remaining public campsites in the Zambezi National Park could set a precedent over the future allocation of Zimbabwe’s national parks public spaces.

Siansimba campsite, located on the banks of the Zambezi River, is understood to be among at least eight other sites that have been allocated by Zimbabwe National Parks Management Authority to private companies.

Should development go ahead on this allocated site, Zimbabweans will have only one public campsite left in the Zambezi National Park, just upstream from the world-renowned Victoria Falls .

In nearby Chamabondo National Park, more public campsites are understood to have been allocated.

Victoria Falls lawyer Paul Connolly is now heading to court to fight Dustin Harley’s Tusker Investments over the allocation, claiming it impinges on the rights of Zimbabweans to their own backyard.

Save Siansimba campaign spokesperon Chenai Dodzo says the fight for Siansimba is for all Zimbabweans, who want to ensure their rights to campsites in national parks.

“If Siansimba can go, what’s next? Public campsites in Hwange? Nyanga? Mana Pools? Where does it stop?

“Zimbabweans should be very concerned.”

Dodzo said access to national parks was part of the heritage of all Zimbabweans, and it was time to speak up “before it’s too late.”

“Concessions have a place in our parks — we are not anti-development. We are simply asking that public campsites remain just that: public,” she said.

Those interested in adding their voice to the fight for public campsites can sign a petition.

Source: Battle to save Zimbabwe’s public campsites (14/02/21)

Zambia clarifies Victoria Falls commercial cargo ban

 Zambian authorities say they have not entirely banned movement of non-commercial goods in and out of Zimbabwe through the Victoria Falls Border Post.

Responding to widespread concerns following the recently issued statement announcing restriction of commercial cargo by road through Victoria Falls border with effect from March 1, the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), said only commercial cargo and goods in excess of 16 tonnes would be restricted from using Victoria Falls port by road.

The move has raised concerns among a cross section of Zimbabweans who felt the country would lose out on bilateral trade and customs revenue.

Clearing agents feared they would lose business while Victoria Falls residents also said their livelihoods would be affected since many of them used to buy goods from Livingstone before lockdown.

ZRA corporate communications manager, Topsy Sikalinda, restricting commercial cargo volumes was meant to preserve the Victoria Falls Bridge as a tourist destination as well as ensuring sanity.

“We have not banned any groceries or stopped any product from being imported or exported. Please note that non-commercial cargo or vehicles below 16 tonnes will still be allowed to use the Victoria Falls border post,” he said.

“All products can go through the border except that they should be below 16 tonnes if they are using road and if they are above 16 tonnes then they should use rail. The border remains available for use to all hawkers, individual traders and tourists.”

Sikalinda said this was in line with Zambia’s Statutory Instrument 115 of 2020 that came into effect on January 1, 2021. But ordinary, he explained, citizens and hawkers can still use the border as long as their goods do not exceed 16 tonnes. This means that all importation and exportation of commercial cargo through the Victoria Falls border will only be allowed on rail transport.

Also, all commercial cargo intended for import and export by road should use alternative entry or exit points such as Kazungula or Chirundu borders, he said.

Zambia and Botswana recently completed constructing the Kazungula Bridge across the Zambezi River, a facility that is expected to enhance smooth passage of cargo on the north-south corridor.

“This measure is meant to preserve the Victoria Falls Bridge and also bring sanity to Livingstone town, which is Zambia’s main tourist capital,” said Sikalinda.

“The measure is also meant to reduce human animal conflict around the border area where truck accidents have been recorded.”

Victoria Falls city lies directly opposite Livingstone across Zambezi River and complement each other in terms of tourism and environment. There has been concerns about congestion caused by haulage trucks as they wait to be cleared at the Victoria Falls border post either side of the river.

Sikalinda said congestion creates challenges for border officials who are unable to conduct detailed physical inspections due to limited space, against trade volumes that have increased in the region.

This will also reduce human-animal conflict and protect wildlife in the tourism destination. Victoria Falls and Livingstone are located within national parks hence challenges of human wildlife conflict.

Businesses and clearing agents said they will be guided by implementation of the SI.

Shipping and Forwarding Agents Association of Zimbabwe chair for Victoria Falls and Kazungula branch Paul Shambare said the restriction will have minimal effect on business.

“At the moment there is much speculation about the notice but as an association we have sought clarification. If you look at Victoria Falls, 95 percent of its business is traffic that carries copper and other bulky minerals and these are not listed in the schedule because they are usually trucks in transit,” he said.

“While this will have an effect on business, the effect will be insignificant,” said Shambare.

While officiating at the conferment of city status to Victoria Falls Municipality last December, President Mnangagwa said the Zimbabwean side of the border post, particularly the building structure, needs urgent facelift as it has not been upgraded since before independence.

Source: Zambia clarifies Victoria Falls commercial cargo ban (12/02/2021)

See Also

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (3rd March 2021) Trucks still to use Vic Falls Bridge – for now.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (8th February 2021) Zambia bans use of Victoria Falls bridge by haulage trucks.

Hwange Villagers, Chinese Investors In Stand-Off Over Coal Project

 VILLAGERS in Dinde area, Hwange are locked in stand-off with Chinese investors over the foreigners’ proposed coal exploration operations.

The villagers want the operation stopped arguing the Chinese investors are in breach of Zimbabwe’s environmental and customary   laws.

Library image of open-cast mining, Hwange District

They also accuse the investors of failing to produce any documents granting them permission to work in the area nor did they engage the local community for social cohesion.

The Chinese investors operating as Beifer Investments, moved to Dinde to start the work last Friday in Ward 13 of Hwange Rural District, Matabeleland North.

However, villagers fear that, should the project continue, they will be forced to relocate while others will     be exposed to air and water pollution of Nyantuwe River which    provides drinking water for humans and livestock.

They also fear loss of livelihoods, grazing land for their livestock, and cultural heritage sites such as graveyards for  the Nekatambe chieftainship as well as contamination of ritual sites.

According to the Dinde Residents Association, from February 2019 to December 2019, a team of Chinese investors toured the village without consulting or engaging locals.

“In December 2019, the same team brought some lightweight machinery and set up a camp behind one Emelia Mukombwe’s homestead within the village where they intended to start drilling,” the Dinde Residents Association said.

“Locals approached the Chinese, who failed   to produce documents authorising them to explore in the area.”

The Chinese intended to drill 13 holes in a straight line of a 1, 9 kilometre stretch without due care of what was in the path.

The locals ordered them to leave and return with documents granting them permission to work in Dinde.

Thereafter, the Chinese investors returned to Dinde with several officers from the Environmental Management Agency, Hwange Rural District Council, traditional leaders, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army and a local miner, to coerce the villagers.

On 8 January 2020, a delegation of local community members was dispatched to Hwange Rural District office to establish the legality of the Chinese operation.

Hwange RDC chief executive Mr Phindile Ncube told them the Chinese had a special grant for exploration.

On June 2020, the Chinese returned to Dinde  in the company of Chief Charles Nekatambe, a  Mr. Ncube and Chilota Colliery Company proprietor  Lazarus Kwidini.

The chief, Kwidini and Ncube acted as gate- keepers, and barred interaction between the locals and the Chinese nationals. Kwidini told the villagers the Chinese were working on Chilota Colliery’s concession while Chief Nekatambe intimidated the villagers, threatening to get them arrested.

The Chinese returned to Dinde again on 11 November and 15 December 2020 accompanied by traditional leaders, state security agents and EMA officials.

Dinde is home to thousands of Nambyas and Tongas tribes.

The Centre for Natural Resources Governance (CNRG) said the local Dinde community had a right to live in their ancestral land and reserve the right to say reject forced evictions.

“Government must respect the rights of the Dinde community as enshrined in the constitution of Zimbabwe,” the CNRG said.

“The Chinese investor has violated the country’s environmental laws, specifically, section 97 which spells that an environmental impact assessment must be carried out before prospecting.

“The fact that the community of Dinde was not aware that they fall within a special exploration grant concession is testimony that they were never engaged.”

Source: Hwange Villagers, Chinese Investors In Stand-Off Over Coal Project (09/02/21)

Zambia bans use of Victoria Falls bridge by haulage trucks

 ZAMBIA has banned the movement of outbound haulage trucks from using Livingstone-Victoria Falls border post saying the move is aimed at preserving the Victoria Falls Bridge and attracting tourists.

In a recent public notice, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) said the ban, which comes into effect on March 1, will see commercial trucks from Zimbabwe’s neighbouring country using Kazungula Bridge a move that might increase transportation cost for locals and adversely impact revenue collection by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).

“This notice serves to inform all customs clearing agents and exporters wishing to export goods listed in the 7th Schedule to Statutory Instrument No.115 of 2020 that they should effect the exportation of their goods through the customs ports and aerodromes set out in the Eighth Schedule to the attached Statutory Instrument — (SI 115 of 2020).

“Further, note that goods for export through Victoria Falls Border Post shall only be transported by rail only effective 1st March, 2021,” reads part of the public notice.

It said the SI 115 of 2020 came into effect on 1st January this year.

“You are therefore advised to familiarise yourself with SI 115 of 2020 to avoid unnecessary delays at the borders.”

Speaking to ZBC News last week, ZRA corporate communications manager Mr Topsy Sikalinda said an SI and public notice had been issued to all stakeholders including exporters and those in the transport and logistics, and clearing sectors regarding the ban of commercial trucks from using the Livingstone-Victoria Falls route.

“We are doing this in order to preserve the bridge and apart from preserving the bridge, we also want to bring sanity in the city of Livingstone as you know Livingstone is a tourism capital.

“We have a lot of trucks that make a lot of noise and bring disorder, so we certainly need to bring sanity,” he said.

Economic analyst Mr Peter Mhaka said the ban on outbound commercial trucks from using the Livingstone-Victoria Falls border post by Zambia would reduce revenue collection by Zimra on the Zimbabwe side.

“Not only will the move taken by Zambia reduce revenue collection by Zimra, but this will add (the) costs of importing as using Kazungula border is relatively far compared to using Victoria Falls,” he said.

Zimbabwe and Zambia have cordial political and economic ties. Last year, President Mnangagwa toured the Kazungula Bridge, which links Zambia and Botswana to assess progress on the US$253 million infrastructure that is meant to enhance trade among Southern African countries.

Under the new dispensation, Zimbabwe joined the Kazungula Bridge project across the Zambezi River in phase two of works in 2019. The country joined Botswana and Zambia, and the three countries have agreed to set up a one-stop border post with offices in Zambia and Botswana sides. — ZBC News/Business Chronicle.

Source: Zambia bans use of Victoria Falls bridge by haulage trucks (08/02/21)

More: Vic Falls Border Still Open To Importers, Traders – Zambia Authorities (08/02/21)

See Also

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (3rd March 2021) Trucks still to use Vic Falls Bridge – for now.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (13th February 2021) Zambia clarifies Victoria Falls commercial cargo ban.