Kasukwere, Nkomo to act on rangers

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TSHOLOTSHO North MP Roselene Nkomo has condemned the alleged torture of villagers by Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) rangers accusing them of being in possession of cyanide that killed jumbos in the Hwange National Park recently.

TSHOLOTSHO North MP Roselene Nkomo has condemned the alleged torture of villagers by Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) rangers accusing them of being in possession of cyanide that killed jumbos in the Hwange National Park recently.

LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI OWN CORRESPONDENT

Zimparks rangers allegedly tortured Tsholotsho villagers in a bid to extract information on the source of cyanide used to poison elephants.

Nkomo told Southern Eye yesterday that she would engage Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi as the parks rangers undermined the role of the police by arresting and torturing the villagers.

“What these parks rangers are doing is uncalled for because they have gone beyond their mandate. They don’t have any right to torture and abuse people in my constituency. I think these rangers are working in cahoots with State agents just to punish people of Tsholotsho because they voted for me,” said Nkomo.

“This attack is not surprising as we had Gukurahundi where villagers were abused and now it’s these parks rangers who are abusing people because they voted for me.

“I don’t understand why these rangers had to instigate this investigation when this is out of their line of duty. What they have done is uncalled for. The government must act wisely in addressing the issue rather than harassing members of my constituency,” Nkomo said.

She also condemned the killing of jumbos and challenged the inter-ministerial taskforce set up to deal with the poaching to address the issue of the alleged torture since it occurred after the taskforce visited Tsholotsho.

“I thought that the inter-ministerial taskforce was here to have dialogue with people about the importance of wildlife, but it’s shocking to see that since they left, our villagers are being harassed by parks rangers who work under the instruction of the government,” said Nkomo.

She said she would be meeting Tsholotsho villagers in Ward 1 and Ward 7 who were tortured by park rangers.

“I am on my way to Tsholotsho to see the tortured victims and tomorrow. I will go to the hospital to see one of the villagers who was seriously tortured and is admitted,” she said.

Environment, Water and Climate minister Saviour Kasukwere said he would investigate the alleged torture.

Human rights and civil society organisations condemned the torture of villagers saying that it was inhumane for the rangers to torture people and called for them to be brought to book.