CHIREDZI- One of Chiredzi’s prime animal haven, Chipimbi Safaris situated along Mkwasine road, is set to get its Offer letter from the Ministry of Lands after 20 years of defunct.
BY PATRICK CHITONGO
This publication is reliably informed that the Government has decided to issue the offer letter to the operator of the animal sanctuary after 14 farmers who were given offer letters in year 2000 failed to use the farm productively.
The Safari is a path for the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP), linking Save Valley Conservancy, Malilangwe, Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, Kruger National Park in South Africa as well as some Game Parks in Mozambique.
The move is set to resuscitate the tourism industry which is the biggest foreign currency earner in Zimbabwe.
However, there are some sticking points before the operators get the Offer letter.
Villagers around the Safari are demanding that the operators must commit and guarantee a Community Share Ownership Scheme that will enable them to benefit from the proceeds of the operations because of the inevitable Human Wildlife conflict.
Chipimbi Safaris is home to some of the big 5 animals that includes Buffaloes and Elephants. These animals often stray into villages destroying crops and domestic animals.
Villages that surrounds Chipimbi Safaris are village 1-5 Chipimbi, Magumire and Esenby as well as nearby sugarcane farms like Njiri, Shilo, Mapanza and Mkwasine.
Ward 32 Councillor Aspect Mashingaidze, told this publication that his constituency is not against the issuing of the offer letter to the operators, for as long as the operators agree to a Community Share Ownership Scheme.
“We don’t have any problem with the Government’s decision to give back Chipimbi Safaris to its owner’s but we want to benefit from the operations since our villages are adjacent to the Safari.It is clear that villagers will be affected by stray animals that destroy their crops and thus we need this scheme to be guaranteed” Mashingaidze said.
A senior employee at Chipimbi Safaris who preferred not to be named said his company will be guided by the Government Policy.
“We are guided by the Government Policy and we have no problem at all to follow those policies”
Government Community Share Ownership Schemes are mandatory to all large investors in the country.
Community Share Ownership entails ceding of an agreed percentage money or resources from proceeds made by the operating company in a particular community for capital projects like roads, clinics and schools.
Chipimbi Safaris was invaded by villagers during the chaotic land redistribution in year 2000, leaving a trail of destruction to property and displacement of animals.
Several other animal species were rampantly killed for the pot.
