Some learners in the Kanyemba area, located in Mashonaland Central Province, are no longer going to school for fear they will be attacked by wild animals.
The area is located in the Mbire District on the south bank of the Zambezi River at the meeting point of the Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Zambia borders.
Farirai Majaya, a parent from the Chapoto area in Kanyemba told <a href="https://thestandard.newsday.co.zw/news/article/200009973/dangerous-animals-force-children-out-of-schools">The Standard</a> that they would rather keep their children at home than put them in harm’s way by sending them to school. He said:
<blockquote>
When they go to school, we are not guaranteed that they will arrive safely or they will be able to come back alive.
There is always that risk that they will encounter wild animals along the way and we can’t risk losing our children.
We know they deserve a better future, but the risk of sending them to school is just something we can’t afford.
It has become a common phenomenon that most children to abscond school and one of the major reasons is the fear of being attacked by wild animals along the way, especially during the rainy and harvesting seasons.
</blockquote>
At Mariga Primary School which has an enrolment of over 300 pupils, more than half of the students are not attending school regularly.
Village head Clever Kaputi said the most affected areas are Mariga and Chiramba villages in Kanyemba’s Ward 1 area.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) secretary-general Robson Chere said:
<blockquote>
We have had several cases of learners not being able to attend school due to human-wildlife conflict and this also applies to areas such as Kanyemba.
These cases also extend to areas such as Kariba, Siakobvu, Binga and Hwange.
Two years ago, there were cases of hyena attacks were recorded in Buhera, Manicaland Province and some of the victims were school children.
</blockquote>
Tinashe Chisaira, director of Adovactes4Earth, a nonprofit environmental law, climate and wildlife justice organisation, said human-wildlife conflict can negatively affect school attendance, but in “rare circumstances”. He added:
<blockquote>
The situation is obviously different in cases of certain problem animals such as the occasional man-eater, and the lion.
There is a need to come up with policies and actions that respect traditional wildlife habitats and migration zones and pathways.
Human settlements must not continue to encroach into wildlife areas.
</blockquote>
The Parks and Wildlife Act classifies lions, elephants, hippos, leopards, buffaloes and rhinoceros as dangerous animals.
Statistics from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) indicate that in 2022, the human-wildlife conflict resulted in the death of 66 people compared to 68 in 2021.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Wild Animals Force Children Out Of Schools In Mbire

ZANU PF Proportional Representation legislator Getrude Chibagu said that her wish is to carry President Emmerson Mnangagwa on her back like a baby “because he is doing a very good job”.
Speaking in the National Assembly recently during the debate of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) speech, Chibagu said Mnangagwa drilled boreholes for people in Mbire District and this has transformed their lives. She said:
<blockquote>
Mr. Speaker, as I am speaking, if it was possible to carry an old person like a baby, I would carry His Excellency President Mnangagwa on my back because he is doing a very good job, working very hard and supporting every Zimbabwean.
So, what would you want? You find young people taking mutoriro, they are destroying themselves, but we need to work very hard, we need to farm our land.
You hear people like Kanyemba-Bhonzo who broadcast at ZBC, he comes from our area Kanyemba and this is a very good thing. In this august House, there is a need for us to value development, emulating His Excellency.
I will not say much but my plea is that as Zimbabweans, let us work hard and develop our nation.
</blockquote>
According to <a href="https://openparly.com/i-wish-to-carry-president-mnangagwa-on-my-back-like-a-baby-says-honourable-chibagu/">Open Parly</a>, Chibagu once spent the entire term without saying anything in Parliament.
Chibagu is serving her 3rd term in Parliament. She was a Senator (2008-2013) and then elected to National Assembly (Women’s Quota) from 2023 to 2018 and then from 2018 to 2023.

ZANU PF MP Says Her Wish Is To Carry Mnangagwa On Her Back

Zimbabwe’s incapacitated public health system is now forcing locals to cross the border into Zambia and South Africa to seek medical attention.
Mbire Ward 1 councillor Christmas Kachasu said that people from Mashonaland Central are seeking medical attention in Zambia due to the high cost of medical care in Zimbabwe as well as the long distances they have to travel to get to the nearest hospital. He was quoted by <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200002253/mps-confront-chiwenga-over-nurses-mass-exodus">NewsDay</a> as saying:
<blockquote>
They (people) are crossing over to the Zambian side and this is because of the cost of medicines and consultation fees which are a bit lower compared to those charged in Zimbabwe.
The closest hospital we have is 140 kilometres away, and at the end of the day, people prefer to go to the other side of the border because it is about 12 kilometres to get to the waterfront and cross into Zambia and access the hospital.
</blockquote>
Chief Muzarabani, born Alfonce Chuzu, said that medical drugs are expensive in Zimbabwe compared to Zambia and Mozambique thereby forcing people to cross the border for treatment. He said:
<blockquote>
The challenge is drugs here in Zimbabwe are expensive and are not easily found. In Mozambique and Zambia, they have adequate medicines especially to cure rabies as most of the attacks here are from dogs and hyenas.
</blockquote>
Recently, South African politician and medical doctor, Phophi Ramathuba, complained that Zimbabweans were burdening South Africa’s health delivery system and should seek treatment in their own country.
<h2>What did Ramathuba say?</h2>
She told an unnamed Zimbabwean patient who reportedly underwent surgery at Bela Bela Hospital in Limpopo Province that Zimbabweans were putting a huge strain on the Limpopo Health Department’s budget and were treating South Africa “like a charity”. Said Ramathuba in a viral video:
<blockquote>
You’re supposed to be with Mnangagwa, he doesn’t give me money to operate you guys. Now I must operate you with my limited budget.
When you guys are sick, you decide to cross into Limpopo. That embassy in South Africa is a charity department, that’s what gets said.
The truth is painful: Limpopo has about 5.7 million people. Most of these citizens do not have medical aid. They rely on the state.
Instead of using my limited budget for what it is meant for, we’re here sorting out something Emerson Mnangagwa must do.
This is exactly why, when the people of Limpopo want access to health systems, they cannot get it. That is angering the community.
You guys aren’t even registered here, you are not counted, some are illegals. It’s unfair. I cannot go to Zimbabwe and get help.
</blockquote>

Zimbabweans Cross Into Zambia And Mozambique For Medical Care

Human-wildlife conflict has become the most critical challenge in wildlife conservation, a government official has said.
Speaking at a human-wildlife conflict meeting in Mbire District, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbra Rwodzi said that human activities are encroaching into wildlife habitats resulting in conflict between people and wild animals. She said:
<blockquote>
The status of human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe is the most critical challenge in wildlife conservation.
There are a number of communities which live near and around protected areas in the country.
Major causes of human-wildlife conflict in the Mbire area are the human settlement in wildlife corridors, streambank cultivation, deforestation, expansion of arable land into forest areas and poaching.
</blockquote>
Since 2015, 36 people lost their lives while 75 were injured in crocodile, elephant, and lion attacks as well as snake bites in 11 wards across Mbire District in Mashonaland Central Province.
Rwodzi said major parts of Mbire were forest and wildlife areas and three community conservancies are being established under the Global Environmental Facility project.
The conservancies are Mbire North, Mbire South and Karinyanga, which Rwodzi said would contribute significantly to the hunting industry and community livelihoods.
Rwodzi said district projects were working to reduce the effects of human-wildlife conflicts by establishing:
<ul>
<li>solar community gardens</li>
<li>fish ponds</li>
<li>human-wildlife conflict campaigns</li>
<li>climate-smart agriculture</li>
<li>biogas digesters</li>
<li>apiculture</li>
<li>chilli technologies</li>
<li>training local game rangers</li>
</ul>
| <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200001751/human-wildlife-conflict-cases-escalate">NewsDay</a>

Human-wildlife Conflict Cases Rise In Mbire

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has killed a lion after it attacked a 60-year-old Mbire man on Friday, according to <a href="https://www.zbcnews.co.zw/zimparks-put-down-lion-after-it-mauls-man-to-death/">ZBC News</a>.
James Zingundu of Angwa, Mbire district died on Friday morning following an attack as he was walking from one village to another.
Mbire resident James Vhadhiyo told the ZBC News that Zingundu was searching for construction material at around 6 am on Friday when the incident occurred. 
ZIMPARKS and Mbire Rural District Council reacted and killed the lion with ZIMPARKS spokesperson, Mr Tinashe Farawo confirming the incident. He is quoted as saying:
<blockquote>
I can confirm an unfortunate incident in which a Mbire villager was mauled by a lion. It’s unfortunate more lives continue to be lost. The Zimparks reaction team was on the ground and it managed to eliminate the problem animal. We are encouraging our communities to remain calm; we are on the ground. We continue to do our campaigns to say let’s minimise movement at night.
</blockquote>
This year alone, 35 people lost their lives due to wildlife with the growing elephant population being one of the major causes of human-wildlife conflict.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Lion Killed After Attacking A Mbire Man

A man from Mbire District, Mashonaland Central Province, has fathered 151 children with 16 wives and he is still going strong.
Misheck Nyandoro, who married his first wife in 1983, told The Herald that polygamy is a project and he will not stop marrying and fathering children until he dies. He said:
<blockquote>I am planning on taking in my 17th wife this winter and the formalities are already being worked on. I will tell you when she comes in.</blockquote>
Nyandoro has 50 children who are still in school in Mbire, Harare, Mutare and Guruve and little everywhere else, six are employed by the Zimbabwe National Army, two by police and 11 others are employed in different professions.
He has married off 13 daughters. Two wives are pregnant. At least 23 of his sons are married, one of which is distantly following his father’s footsteps, on a count of four wives.
Nyandoro was born in Mbire District north of Harare in 1955. He joined the Johanne Marange Apostolic church in 1972. He then joined the liberation struggle in 1977 and was trained at Mgagao Camp in Tanzania.
He said his children pamper him with gifts daily and his wives bring him food daily one by one. Said Nyandoro:
<blockquote>Every wife cooks her best every day because the rule is I only eat what is delicious and I throw away what is not tasty.
Every wife subscribes to that rule and does not get annoyed when I return her badly cooked food to her. It is the rule here. Rejected food should make her cook better next time.</blockquote>
Nyandoro decides the night duty roster for his wives’ conjugal rights. He said when planning the roster, he takes into consideration many factors. No wife knows she is on duty until he visits her bedroom. He still boasts of his virility. He said:
<blockquote>I am strong and feel as strong as I was when I was 18. I give conjugal rights to an average of four wives a night and I do the duty roaster personally.
I go to the targeted bedrooms one by one. That is my job. There is no other job I do. They are all catered for and you can see they are happy.
Afternoon conjugal rights are not considered during the duty roster, for, that is mainly accidental.</blockquote>
Nyandoro’s family mainly relies on farming, courtesy of the land reform programme and after each harvest, he shares accordingly.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/151-children-16-wives-still-counting/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Herald</a></h4>

Man Fathers 151 Kids With 16 Wives, Says He's Not Done Yet

Reports claim some men are raping their daughters to guarantee bumper harvests in Mbire District, Mashonaland Central province.
Incestuous relationships are said to be rife in the remote district as chiefs’ courts have to deal with a lot of cases of rape which involve men and their daughters. Young pregnant girls are reportedly turning up at health facilities in droves.
Fadzisai Mawunganidze of local Non-government organisation, Sistahood said:
<blockquote>Ward 2 has the most reported cases of incest involving fathers and their daughters. And according to some of the victims, they are being forced to be intimate with their fathers.
Some of the girls fall pregnant and that is when the crime is revealed, but because they are cut off from clinics and police posts it becomes difficult to report.
… We also highlight the importance of accessing health services such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and emergency contraceptive methods when there are such cases.</blockquote>
PEP involves the taking of antiretroviral medicines to prevent infection with HIV within 72 hours of exposure.
Overall, reports indicate that rape cases in Zimbabwe have surged over the years. In 2018 a report by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency revealed that 7 394 cases had been reported in the first quarter of 2017.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), through a Twitter post last week, warned female vendors and those commuting at night to be wary of rapists who were posing as prospective customers or commuters.
<h4>Related:</h4>
<ul>
<li class="entry-title">
<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/04/04/teacher-jailed-12-years-for-raping-student/">Teacher Jailed 12 Years For Raping Student</a></h4>
</li>
<li class="entry-title">
<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/03/21/evacuating-manicaland-villagers-would-have-led-fake-rape-reports-mutodi/">Evacuating Manicaland Villagers Would Have Resulted In Fake Rape Reports – Mutodi</a></h4>
</li>
<li class="entry-title">
<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/03/02/rape-allegations-against-chamisa-frivolous-mdc-spokesperson/">Rape Allegations Against Chamisa ‘Frivolous’ – MDC Spokesperson</a></h4>
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</ul>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2019/04/mbire-men-rape-daughters-in-bizarre-rituals/">Newsday</a></h4>

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