Harare — BUFFALOES are causing havoc in Gokwe's Chemagora area where they are allegedly terrorising villagers and destroying vegetation.

The most-affected places are areas surrounding Skombela Farm and Chidoma, which is deep inside the Chemagora forest land.

Chemagora is a vast and expansive forestry area stretching for about 30km and is infested with a number of wild animals.

The larger part of the area has no human settlements save for a few scattered farms.

Villagers who spoke to Chronicle on Tuesday said the buffaloes were usually seen early in the morning or in the evening making it difficult for them to board buses and trucks along the Gokwe-Kwekwe highway.

"The wild beasts have not caused any serious harm but we are now living in fear since buffaloes are unpredictable. It has become a problem to board buses to some of us who live deep inside Chidoma," said Mr Luckford Nyathi, of Chidoma.

He said the villagers were worried that the buffaloes, besides threatening people, could destroy their crops during the forthcoming summer season.

"Already the animals are disturbing small plants and other forms of vegetation in the forest. There is nothing to stop them from invading our fields when the time comes.

"This will be a painful experience if the wild beasts are not driven away as we are still smarting from the effects of devastating drought," said Mr Nyathi.

Other villagers echoed the same sentiments and expressed hope that National Parks Department would shoot the animals and provide them with relish.

Mr Bigboy Sibanda, of Skombela Farm said villagers wishing to travel to town were experiencing nightmares since they often wake up very early in the morning for them to catch the buses.

"The time we wake up for the bus stop is the same time when the buffaloes will be roaming the area freely.

"It is the same problem when we come back in the evening. We are appealing to the responsible authorities to do something about the menace," said Mr Sibanda.

He said buffaloes could be highly dangerous when provoked as they have a tendency of venting their fury on the first person they come across.