Conrad Mupesa — Mashonaland West Bureau
Parliamentarians have urged the Government to add value to the country's ivory stockpile and skins for the nation to realise full benefit from its wildlife resources.
This, the legislators said, could be a parallel process to negotiations by Zimbabwe and other countries for the resumption of ivory sales banned internationally in 1989 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Speaking in Kadoma on Friday during a two-day capacity development workshop for Parliamentarians on the Parks and Wildlife Management Bill organised by Accountability Lab, Kwekwe proportional representative legislator, Ms Perseverance Zhou said: "Since we can't leave CITES, why not then value add the ivory and skins we have in abundance.
History has it that kings and royal families wore elephant skins.
"The Government has introduced Education 5.0, which is a hands-on approach. Why can't we have our colleges and universities value add this so that we benefit from wildlife resources?"
Another legislator, Mrs Concilia Chinanzvavana said wildlife resources were key to economic transformation.
Legislators, however, were generally of the view that the Bill's silence on the amount to be paid to victims of human/wildlife conflict, who currently get a relief fund, was worrisome.
"Why are we calling it a relief fund and not compensation. Above all, there is no stipulated figure for relief which raises concerns.
"Our communities are losing lives, property and crops to wild animals and the Bill has to be clear on this," Hurungwe West Member of Parliament, Chinjai Kambuzuma said.
The Portfolio Committee on Environment is expected to embark on public hearings from July 8 with the committee chairperson, Ms Joanna Mamombe confident that the outreach programmes will incorporate the views of communities.
Ms Mamombe said there were budgetary constrains for the outreach programmes and pleaded with civil society to extend a helping hand.
Accountability Lab deputy chief of party, Mr Beloved Chiweshe said there was need for accountability in the management of resources in the fight against corruption and illegal poaching for communities to benefit from wildlife resources.
His organisation, he said, was going to play a part in the outreach programmes.
Mr Ignatious Maeresa of the Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association (ZELA) unpacked the principles of crafting an effective Parks and Wildlife Management Bill, saying there were grey areas that needed to be polished before its enactment.
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ZELA has crafted a document containing the issues that have to be addressed by the statute.
Officials from the Resilience Anchors, a civil society organisation operating mainly in Manicaland, believe a well-crafted Parks and Wildlife Management Bill will help promote economic growth, conservation of biodiversity and water resources, improving community livelihoods, and promoting resilience.
Zimparks acting director for Legal and Corporate Services, Mr Lisberty Chadenga said the aspect of relief fund needed to be approached from a scientific and realistic manner, adding some attributes on the section were borrowed from other countries including Kenya where compensation was problematic.
Contributions on the Bill, he said, were taken from affected communities, concerned constituencies and organisations.
The two-day workshop was attended by Members of Parliament, officials from various organisations that play a part in wildlife management and conservationists.
