Bulawayo lion mystery deepens

THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) has increased manpower to hunt a mystery lion that has for the past weeks been roaming different parts of Bulawayo's eastern suburbs and surrounding areas.

The increase in manpower hunting the lion follows the spotting of the big cat's spoor at Criterion Farm in Douglasdale on Sunday.

Zimparks spokesperson Caroline Washaya-Moyo yesterday told Southern Eye that nine rangers, including a professional hunter, were now on the ground pursuing the adult lion.

"What we have now is that spoor was spotted at Criterion Farm? From the spoor, it was determined that the lion is an adult," Washaya-Moyo said.

"We have called for extra manpower from the Hwange National Park.

"As it is, we have a team of nine on the ground that includes a professional hunter."

There has been growing speculation among Bulawayo residents that there are possibly two lions on the loose, but Washaya-Moyo said evidence on the ground so far suggested there was only one.

"The spoor that was spotted was for one lion. However, we are not turning away any information from members of the public," she said.

Bulawayo residents are now living in fear of possible attack from the lion.

Habakkuk Trust chief executive officer Dumisani Nkomo posted on his Facebook wall: "Maybe I am paranoid, but surely there should be an official response or information about the lion or we are waiting for it to maul somebody.

"In the absence of information, rumours abound or do they think it will cause alarm and despondency? The problem is that there is already fear, alarm and despondency because there are now all sorts of stories with some saying there is more than one lion, others saying some people could have been attacked and others saying it's now in Hillside, Matsheumhlophe and Leeside."

However, some residents of Burnside who spoke to Southern Eye yesterday gave conflicting details about the lion.

"We heard that it was seen along Bulawayo Road, but it's all just stories," James Jubane said.

"Some are saying one resident saw it and chased it away with a catapult yet some say they saw lion droppings just next to Bulawayo Road.

"The stories are just too many now and it's confusing."

A Southern Eye news crew drove along Bulawayo Road and saw residents walking freely without any sign of fear.

"What we heard is that it was seen in Waterford. We have not heard that it has come to this side.

"I doubt if it is in this area," said a worker in one of the plots in Douglasdale.

Source: Bulawayo lion mystery deepens (Bulawayo News24 - 15-05-14)

Mosi-Oa-Tunya Rhino snare removed

ZAWA has reported that it successfully removed and treated a pregnant rhino that was recently caught up in a snare in Livingstone’s Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park.

The Rhino, known as Inonge was caught in a snare set by unknown poachers last week. Since Inonge is eight moths pregnant ZAWA Head of vet Dr David Squarre had to only partially anaesthetise her to avoid any complications that the use of drugs could cause to the pregnancy.

ZAWA is warning members of the public to desist from setting up snares - if caught they will be arrested and prosecuted by law.

Source: Mosi-Oa-Tunya Rhino Rescued (Zambia Tourism, 09-05-14)

Zimbabwe settles $30 million debt owed to Zambia

Zimbabwe has settled the outstanding $30 million owed to Zambia as principal debt accrued through the acquisition of power generation equipment under the defunct Central African Power Corporation (CAPCO) which the two countries co-owned.

Zimbabwe owed Zambia $70 million after acquiring power generation assets when CAPCO was dissolved to form the Zambezi River Authority(ZRA).

The two countries agreed that the debt be settled in installments by not later than April 30, 2014.

Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma said the debt had been settled in full as agreed upon by the two Governments.

Yaluma however, said interest of $114 million accrued on the debt but both Governments have reached a mutual agreement that this should be settled through a devised settlement plan.

"The Government of Zimbabwe has settled the remaining $30 million, completing the $70 million owed to Zambia after the dissolution of CAPCO which was reconstituted as the Zambezi River Authority," Yaluma said.

Source: Zimbabwe settles $30 million debt owed to Zambia (Bulawayo News24, 09-05-14)

Batoka hydro-electricity project on course

PARIS - Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) board chairperson Partson Mbiriri says there is progress in the public tender process for the construction of the Batoka hydro-electricity project.
Mr Mbiriri says the results of the feasibility studies are expected to be submitted by the end of this year. “Those are important documents going forward in terms of engaging potential contractors,” he said.
Mr Mbiriri was speaking in an interview with journalists from Zambia and Zimbabwe in the French capital Paris yesterday. He added that ZRA has already called for expressions of interest and 25 companies applied for the tender process out of which nine were shortlisted.
Mr Mbiriri also said that the construction of access roads in the Batoka project site has started. “All the processes towards developing Batoka hydro-electricity scheme are underway,” he said.
The construction of the Batoka hydro-electricity scheme has been triggered by high demand for power in the region. The Batoka hydro-electricity scheme is a three-phased project which includes the construction of the dam, construction of a power station and construction of transmission lines.
Apart from operating and maintaining the Kariba dam, ZRA also has a mandate of developing new hydro-electricity schemes on the Zambezi River, on behalf of the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
And according to its 2010-2014 strategic objectives, ZRA will undertake dam maintenance and develop the Batoka hydro-electricity scheme.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s Mines, Energy and Water Development permanent secretary Charity Mwansa has said that the Kariba dam is a strategic asset for the two governments.
Ms Mwansa is also co-chairperson of the ZRA board. The Kariba dam supplies about 40 percent of electricity to the region. The ZRA delegation has left France for Venice in Italy.
While in France, the delegation attended presentations on the Bimont dam and the Malpasset ruins dam. The delegation also visited the Verdon gorges in south-eastern France.
Batoka hydro-electricity project on course (The Daily Mail, Zambia,

Panic as stray lion inches closer to Bulawayo city centre

Source: Panic as stray lion inches closer to Bulawayo city centre (Bulawayo News24, 09-05-14)

Panic waves continue to spread through Bulawayo as the elusive stray lion has been sighted at Riverside, inching closer to the city centre.

Acting Bulawayo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Abedinico Ncube yesterday confirmed the latest sighting and urged members of the public to immediately report encounters with the big cat.

First seen 14 days ago about 30 km from Bulawayo near Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage, terrified Waterford residents also sighted it last Sunday.

The king of the jungle has been evading a crack team of Zimbabwe National Parks game rangers.

"We want to reiterate that there is a stray lion out there which was last seen at Riverside South Plot 18. Members of the public must report immediately if they sight the animal. Police are available 24 hours a day so members of the public must be free to come to us or call us," said Asst Insp Ncube.

The police call comes after the tracking team revealed that they had received numerous panic calls from members of the public that had turned out to be false alarms.

A member of the tracking team who could not be named as he is not cleared to speak to the press said the operation to capture the lion was continuing.

"We continue with the search and tonight (last night) we will concentrate in the Waterford area," he said.

He said they mainly do their tracking at night and would be searching areas south of Waterford adding that they suspect that it was a young lioness that probably was caged and still learning how to hunt.

Waterford residents where the lion has been sighted are in a state of panic and urged authorities to capture the lion as soon as possible.

Waterford resident Bongelani Sibanda said he heard the lion roar on Wednesday night.

"We live in fear and do not move at night. Just imagine hearing the lion roar and not knowing if the animal is moving towards you or not," said Sibanda.

Source: Panic as stray lion inches closer to Bulawayo city centre (Bulawayo News24, 09-05-14)

EU Council Awards Zimbabwe Best World Tourism Destination Title

Souce: EU Council Awards Zimbabwe Best World Tourism Destination Title (VOA Zimbabwe, 05-05-14)

The European Union Council on Tourism and Trade has unanimously decided to award Zimbabwe the World Best Tourist Destination for 2014 title for promoting ecotourism and successfully convening an international conference last year.

The General Assembly of the council says Zimbabwe cohosted the World Tourism Organization General Assembly in 2013 despite tremendous logistic and economic challenges.

The Assembly says there is no doubt that the country has the capacity to organize top world events, is a safe destination.

According to the Council, Zimbabwe has unequivocally demonstrated that it is a safe, open and perfectly managed power house.

Apart from that, it further says the country has done a lot in promoting eco-tourism leading to a lot of community support in the preservation of natural resources.

“Among other reasons is the promotion and support offered to a new concept of community natural protection supporting tourism friendly to nature, with low ecological impact and preservation of natural biodiversity and protection of endangered species and areas,” said the EU Council.

It said community-based ecotourism protection carved by former Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi is “a perfect way to share revenues and income and to support rural communities in prospering.”

The EU Council said this has ensured that ecotourism is the base for local economic development.

Reacting to this development, Zanu PF activist, Morris Ngwenya, said Zimbabwe deserved the award. “At last the country has been recognized for the good job it is doing in tourism, cultural issues and others.”

But independent economist Walter Mbongolwane disagreed, saying there are countries like South Africa which offer better tourism activities than Zimbabwe. “At least South Africa deserves an award and not Zimbabwe. How can the country win an award in the midst of an economic crisis … This is absurd.”

Tourism visits went up in Zimbabwe soon after the establishment of a unity government which was in power up to the 2013 general election. The situation has degenerated following Zanu PF’s election victory last year as the local economy has been hit by deflation, lack of foreign direct investment and general liquidity constraints.

Souce: EU Council Awards Zimbabwe Best World Tourism Destination Title (VOA Zimbabwe, 05-05-14)

Woman throws herself into the Victoria Falls gorge

A 23-YEAR-OLD Zambian woman committed suicide by throwing herself into the Victoria Falls gorge after her parents expressed disappointment with her college results.

The body of Carol Kanyemr was found along the Zambezi River on the Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls on Tuesday. Zambian Southern province police commissioner Mary Chikwanda yesterday confirmed the suicide tragedy.

"She threw herself into the Victoria Falls after she said she had been a disappointment to her family after her parents paid fees for her at universities in Namibia and Botswana respectively, but she failed."

Source: Woman throws herself into the Victoria Falls gorge (Bulawayo News24 - 04-05-14)