In the community

VFWT partners with Mvuthu villagers to tackle human-wildlife conflicts

Published

3 years ago

May 17, 2023

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust (VFWT) has announced that they have secured funding to work with the communities of the new scheme of herding cattle, amid growing concerns of human-wildlife conflicts in the Mvuthu’s jurisdiction.

This was announced by the VFWT Community Liaison officer Bongani Dlodlo on Tuesday at a village assembly meeting in the Mvuthu area.

He said the scheme aims to reduce the continuous attack of the domestic animals, mainly the cattle by predators such as the lions.

The organisation will actively involved in various environmental issues in the area, including the introduction of mobile bomas years ago, making of chill dung to deter elephants among other rehabilitation projects.

“This will be a programme to run for three years, where we are going to create mobile kraals where the whole village, those who are willing will bring their cattle there and we will hire some willing community members above 22 years of age to look after them during the day and night,” Dlodlo said.

“We are trying to reduce the problem of your livestock getting killed and while under this scheme, we shall ensure that they get treated whenever they present some symptoms of not being well and we will also vaccinate and feed them so that they can increase the value in the market whenever you want to dispose of some of them.”

Dlodlo also added that this will be done throughout the year.

“During the off-cropping season, we will be rotating them from one field to the other so that we also mitigate the issue of poor soils this community is faced with. By this, we hope that even your yield will improve for these coming years.”

Although some at the meeting met with skepticism, Dlodlo insisted that the villagers were not under duress to let go of their cattle and that the preparatory planning and strategies to be adopted were going to be done together with the communities.

Fears were around the issue of religious beliefs around the rearing of livestock.

Other concerns were around the issue of having to walk long distances to milk cows and even having them to perform some day to day chores such as the fetching of firewood.

According to the Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers, cases of human-wildlife conflicts have been increasing since 2016 by over 216 percent and Mvuthu villagers have often paid the price without compensation.

Others also queried about what will happen if their livestock gets attacked while with the hired herders and Dlodlo responded: “We will not be paying for any compensation because ours to try and help this community, but because the herders and the place of herding will be chosen by you, we hope that this will be a holistic community project where you can always check on what is happening as we work together.”

Hwange

Hwange Central finally receives long-awaited CDF funds

Published

5 days ago

January 7, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Hwange Central constituency has finally received its long-awaited Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation, marking the first disbursement since 2022, Member of Parliament for the area, Fortune Daniel Molokele, has confirmed.

In a statement, Molokele said an amount of ZiG 1.3 million was deposited last week into a special bank account set up exclusively to administer CDF funds for the constituency. The disbursement falls under the 2024 national budget, following confirmation from the Parliament of Zimbabwe that no CDF disbursement will be made under the 2023 national budget.

He further noted that there is still no clarity on when CDF allocations under the 2025 and 2026 national budgets will be released.

“With this development, our local CDF Committee will, during the coming week, initiate the process of rolling out the approved projects,” said Molokele.

Priority Wards and Projects

The initial phase of implementation will cover five wards, namely Wards 1, 4, 5, 6 and 14, with the remaining wards expected to benefit under the next CDF disbursement.

According to minutes from a public consultation meeting held on 13 April 2024 at St Ignatius Primary School in Hwange, the community unanimously prioritised solar-powered boreholes with JoJo tanks and fenced nutritional gardens as the flagship project for the 2024 CDF cycle.

The project is set to be implemented at the following locations:

Ward 1: Chibondo
Ward 4: Baghdad
Ward 5: Empumalanga
Ward 6: Phase Four
Ward 14: Ngumija

Other proposals discussed at the meeting included the construction of an Advanced Level laboratory science facility at Nechilisa Secondary School and the refurbishment of Nengasha Stadium, but these were deferred in favour of addressing water and food security.

CDF Committee in Place

The public meeting also elected a new 2023–2028 CDF Committee, comprising:

Alice Phiri (Trade Unions, Women and Local Communities)
Luka Katako (Traditional Leaders and Faith-Based Leaders)
Bryan Nyoni (Youth and Local Communities)
Shonipai Muleya (Finance and Accounting)

Francisca Ncube was nominated as the National Assembly representative, while Teresa Kabondo will represent the constituency in the Senate.

The CDF bank account signatories and procurement committee members include Molokele, Luka Katako, Thulani Moyo and Alice Phiri.

Funding Clarifications

Although earlier discussions indicated that the 2024 allocation would include outstanding funds from 2023—bringing the total to an estimated USD100 000, to be disbursed in ZiG at the interbank rate—the Speaker of Parliament later clarified that the 2023 CDF allocation was no longer available.

“As a result, each constituency ended up receiving ZiG 1.3 million, which was meant to be equivalent to USD50 000,” Molokele explained, adding that the approved projects were subsequently endorsed by the relevant Parliamentary committee.

He also confirmed that no CDF proposals have yet been submitted for 2025 and 2026.

Residents seeking further information have been advised to contact CDF Committee Secretary Thulani Moyo on 078 648 3659.

Molokele said at least two public feedback meetings will be held once implementation begins, to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of the funds.

In the community

Two artisanal miners die in Umguza mine shaft collapse

Published

3 weeks ago

December 25, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

Two artisanal miners have died following the collapse of a flooded mine shaft at Cement Side in Umguza District, ZBC has reported.

The incident occurred early Tuesday morning after heavy water ingress caused the shaft to give way, trapping the two men underground.

When rescue teams arrived at the scene, officers from the Bulawayo Fire and Ambulance Services Department, assisted by local volunteers, were leading recovery efforts.

A survivor of the incident, Khulumani Nkomo, described the terrifying moments leading up to the collapse.

“We heard a loud cracking sound as we reached the ground, then water started rushing in. The two were behind us, and the shaft just closed, trapping the other one in the tunnel,” he said.

Nkomo added that attempts to rescue the trapped miners proved futile.

“We tried to dig with our hands and tools, but the water kept coming. By the time help arrived, it was already too late.”

A brother of one of the deceased miners said the family is struggling to cope with the loss, revealing that the victim was only 19 years old.

In the community

Foot and mouth disease outbreak in Mat North

Published

1 month ago

December 9, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NIZBERT MOYO

The provincial Veterinary Department has urged farmers to comply with livestock movement regulations following an outbreak of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in some parts of Matabeleland North.

Acting provincial veterinarian Gwinyai Zhandire confirmed the outbreak to Southern Eye, saying the government has instituted movement controls, vaccination and active surveillance in the affected areas.

“There are some dip tanks affected in the Nyamandlovu area,” Zhandire said.

“The government has instituted movement controls and vaccination, and we are conducting surveillance.

“Farmers are encouraged to observe and comply with livestock movement regulations to prevent further spread.”

He highlighted that the rainy season increases the risk of other livestock diseases.

With tick populations on the rise, farmers should be vigilant against tick-borne illnesses such as Anaplasmosis (Gall Sickness), Theileriosis (January Disease), Ehrlichiosis (Heartwater) and Babesiosis (Redwater).

“Weekly dipping is encouraged to prevent transmission between animals,” Zhandire said.

He emphasised the importance of routine vaccination against other seasonal threats, including anthrax and lumpy skin diseases.

The outbreak has also affected farmers in the Umguza area, who have similarly been directed to adhere to animal movement restrictions.

Foot and mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep and goats.

The disease is characterised by fever and the development of painful sores or blisters in the mouth and on the feet, often leading to severe lameness and a drop in productivity.

The virus spreads easily through direct contact between animals, as well as via contaminated equipment, vehicles and feed.

The disease can result in significant economic losses in the livestock industry due to trade restrictions and animal health costs.
Source: Southern Eye