BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

When an elephant trampled Mbusi Mabhena to death two weeks ago in Mthoniselwa village in Nkayi, his family’s grief was swiftly compounded by another ordeal.

By the following day, he had been buried.

In Ward 13 of Nkayi district, there was no time for a traditional week-long wake or a post-mortem examination. There is no mortuary.

Local leaders say immediate burials have become common in parts of Nkayi and neighbouring Lupane, where families cannot preserve bodies due to a lack of cold storage facilities.

Weston Msimango, the councillor for Ward 13, said Mr Mabhena’s body was covered with sand before burial in an attempt to slow decomposition.

“It has become normal for people to be buried within 24 hours,” he said. “We have no facilities to keep them.”

The problem centres on Mbuma Mission Hospital, the main referral hospital for Nkayi and Lupane districts. Despite serving thousands of people, it has never had a mortuary.

For many villagers, transporting a body to cities such as Bulawayo or Gweru is too expensive. As a result, families resort to improvised methods to manage the smell of decomposition while making urgent burial arrangements.

Thandiwe Moyo, from Mkalathi village, said families often use sand and bananas to try to reduce odours while waiting for a few relatives to gather.

“To bury someone you love within 24 hours, without a proper goodbye because there is no cold room, feels like we are disposing of trash rather than honouring a life,” she said.

Residents say the lack of basic infrastructure contrasts sharply with the political rallies occasionally held in the district.

Jabulani Hadebe, the Member of Parliament for Nkayi South, has criticised what he describes as a lack of political will to address the issue.

He pointed to a large 2023 election rally in the area, attended by senior political figures, as an example of misplaced priorities.

“Leaders had an opportunity to visit the hospital, see what was missing and help,” he said. “Instead, the focus was on displays of wealth.”

Hadebe also alleged that some people who attended the rally were given spoiled food and later fell ill, though this claim could not be independently verified.

Sibusiso Sibanda, from Gonye village, said residents struggle to reconcile the arrival of luxury vehicles at rallies with the absence of a basic mortuary facility.

“They can come with big cars and give out meat, but they cannot finish a small room at Mbuma to keep the dead,” he said.

He added that without funeral insurance or money for transport, families have little choice but to bury relatives quickly.

“In the morning you are alive. If you die and you do not have a funeral policy, by evening you are in the sand,” he said. “There is no dignity left.”

Villagers in Somakantane said the absence of a mortuary has also disrupted cultural practices that require the body to remain at home for several days before burial.

The situation is not unique to Nkayi. Lawmakers have raised similar concerns in Binga, where some hospitals also operate without mortuary facilities.

Despite the issue being raised in Parliament, there has been no formal response from the government indicating when mortuaries might be built or repaired in affected districts.

The Ministry of Health’s spokesperson, Donald Mujiri, could not be reached for comment.

SOURCE: CITE

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Cabinet has officially approved a transformative National Wildlife Policy, marking the first major overhaul of the sector’s regulatory framework in over three decades.

For the communities of Matabeleland North—from the elephant-dense corridors of Hwange to the tourism heartbeat of Victoria Falls—the policy promises a radical shift in how local people coexist with and benefit from the country’s natural heritage.

Presented by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube on Tuesday, the new policy acknowledges that the wildlife sector has been “remarkably transformed” since the current laws were enacted in 1992.

The updated framework seeks to align Zimbabwe with modern international best practices, moving toward a “vibrant wildlife-anchored economy” that directly supports national development.

For residents of Hwange and Victoria Falls, the most critical breakthrough is the policy’s explicit focus on human-wildlife conflict (HWC).

The framework provides for the implementation of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Relief Fund, specifically designed to provide benefits and support to victims of wildlife encounters.

This is paired with new regulations for CAMPFIRE (Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources) and the establishment of dedicated wildlife corridors to reduce dangerous interactions between animals and human settlements.

The policy is built upon 10 strategic pillars, including community-based natural resources management and the equitable sharing of benefits.

Crucially, the government now recognises wildlife as a “public resource,” with the policy aiming to support devolution and enhance “active community participation.”

This ensures that present and future generations in Matabeleland North are not just neighbours to the game reserves, but active stakeholders in its socio-economic success.

However, community members say the success of the policy will depend on how effectively benefits are devolved to grassroots level.

“We have heard policies before, but what matters is whether the money reaches us,” said a Hwange villager, Eslina Ndlovu from Nemanhanga. “Our schools are struggling, some do not even have adequate classrooms or learning materials. If wildlife revenue is coming from our areas, it should help improve our education system.”

Another villager,Joseph Mwembe from Vukuzenzele village under Chief Mvuthu, echoed similar sentiments, calling for investment in health services. “We are living with wildlife every day, but our hospitals are not equipped. We don’t have proper referral hospitals or machines. If this policy is serious about supporting communities, then we must see that money building clinics, equipping hospitals, and improving services here in Matabeleland North,” he said.

Villagers stressed that without tangible improvements in infrastructure and social services, the policy risks falling short of its intended impact.

“If communities do not benefit in real terms, then it defeats the whole purpose of calling wildlife a national resource,” added Ndlovu.

The policy also introduces measures for fisheries conservation and the protection of indigenous plant species, with strict penalties for violations that threaten resource sustainability.

BY NOTHANDO DUBE

Daniel Molokele has announced the successful rollout and verification of solar-powered boreholes across several wards in Hwange Central, describing the development as a major boost for communities long affected by water shortages.

In a statement issued Friday, Molokele confirmed that a solar-powered borehole in Ward 5 is now fully operational, bringing relief to residents who have endured prolonged periods without reliable water supplies. Community members reportedly expressed “absolute delight” at the development, citing the borehole as a critical intervention.

The Ward 5 project is part of four boreholes installed under the 2024 Constituency Development Fund (CDF). According to the MP’s office, verification visits conducted on April 17 across Wards 1, 4, 5 and 6 confirmed steady progress.

Ward 4 and Ward 6 boreholes have been operational since February, already serving local populations. In Ward 1, installation is nearly complete, with service expected imminently.

Molokele’s office also revealed that delays in Ward 5 were due to funding shortfalls after CDF allocations were exhausted. The MP personally covered an outstanding US$2 000 to ensure completion.

Meanwhile, Ward 14 remains without a borehole despite being included in the original proposal. Officials acknowledged ongoing water challenges in the area and said efforts are underway to mobilise additional funding to complete the project.

Local leaders, councillors and ward development committees participated in the verification exercise alongside the project contractor, who provided technical assessments at each site.