ZimParks Under Pressure

ZimParks Under Pressure

ZimParks Director General comments on financial pressures and causes confusion over Private Concessions in Zambezi National Park.

By Peter Roberts 

The Director-General of the Zimbabwe National Park and Wildlife Authority, Dr Fulton Mangwanya, has revealed some of the financial pressures facing ZimParks during the ongoing global pandemic and caused confusion in comments on proposals for private tourism concessions in the Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls.

An interview with Dr Mangwanya, The Green Show).

In an interview with Willson Chimwedzi for 'The Green Show' (Heart and Soul Radio) on 17th February, Dr Mangwanya indicated that apart from annual license fees from private concessions, the Authority's income is currently practically zero.

"Yes, indeed this pandemic has caused quite a lot of problems, like our tourism has been badly affected, if we talk of Zimparks, because 80% of our tourists are regional, and as you are talking right now no-one is coming in. The local ones, who are the domestic tourism, we can't talk of much because there is no industry to travel in - everything is down. International tourists definitely are not coming because of the lockdowns, and with the new strain in South Africa it has actually exacerbated the whole issue. We can safely say we are running at zero right now, except from some lease fees that we are getting, and we don't get any support or funding from the fiscus [state]..."

"Right now we've got [only] 10% of staff at work... So I'm working extra hours to make things work, because if I don't provide salaries for my rangers they will turn into poachers, so the best thing is to make sure I get something to pay them and then the Directors are paid later, even a month or two months later, it's ok, so long as we pay those ones on the ground."

Private concessions have become an increasing feature in the country's National Parks in recent years, with sites licensed to tourism operators to develop exclusive safari lodges and camps catering for international tourists. Whilst providing an important element of the country's tourism industry, and revenue for ZimParks (which is entirely self-funded), the tourism operators also often play an important role in local anti-poaching initiatives and community and conservation support projects.

There are, however, increasing pressures against plans to grant a raft of new concessions, after a proposal to develop a popular public campsite in the Zambezi National Park received much local opposition.

See: Campaign to Save SiansimbaGains Momentum.

Speaking last week Dr Mangwanya appeared to confuse the issue, outlining plans to 'upgrade' four sites in the Park 'so that the public can go and actually enjoy' them. 

"What we are doing in Victoria Falls - I have had some complaints - we have got about twenty-five picnic sites along Zambezi River. I am planning to upgrade four of these sites to start with and these are Siansimba, and Kandahar, site four and site ten, so that the public can go and actually enjoy it, because it's supposed to be like that. You know, according to our constitution the public are supposed to enjoy some of these facilities that we have, so I am going to do that by the end of the year, I'll have renovated some of these places, revamped them so that they come and see."

On first impression Dr Mangwanya appears to be saying that these existing four sites will all be refurbished for public use. It is understood, however, that private lodge concessions are still being considered at Siansimba and Kandahar, and that new, alternative public camping sites will be developed nearby to compensate for their loss. Presumably the same is planned at picnic sites four and ten.

If this is the case the Environmental Impact Assessment currently underway for the Siansimba Tented Camp should clearly include the identification and consideration of this new public site in addition to the private development, and the proposal reviewed as a whole. The developments must also be assessed in relation to each other and existing private concessions, and this can only be done will full public disclosure of the current plans and with the implementation of ongoing monitoring and assessment of the impacts of existing tourism developments.

Image showing location of existing public campsite. The proposed lodge development is believed to be 

on the opposite side of the Siansimba stream (right side of image) which joins the Zambezi at this point.

It remains to be seen if the fragile woodland belt which extends along the riverside can sustain the development of further sites, as well as all the extra impacts that come with the development of private tourism camps, without significant degradation of their natural and wildlife value, or if these new alternative sites will be of equal value in terms of scenic location and visitor experience.

Further Information/Links

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

The Green Show (17th February 2021) The State of Our National Parks, Heart and Soul Radio (Facebook link to video broadcast of show).

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (8th February  2021) Zambezi River Scenes Which Inspired Livingstone Under Threat.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (17th February  2021) Campaign to Save SiansimbaGains Momentum.