On Tuesday the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), in conjunction with the police and the Zimbabwe Prison Service, cracked down on illegal firewood vendors in Mbare, Harare, and confiscated an estimated 300 tonnes of firewood from indigenous trees. The hard wood, which could be used to manufacture expensive furniture if properly harvested, is valued at several thousands of dollars.
Newsday Editorial
Yet the chairperson of the Mbare-based co-operative which was raided by the police, Tendai Manyasha, claimed over 60 people depended on this business — 20 of them being youths. Some were elderly people as well, he opined. The fact that these people have been living off this business for the past 10 years does not make poaching acceptable.
Environment minister Francis Nhema is on record saying Zimbabwe was on the brink of desertification due to deforestation, estimated to be taking place at an alarming rate of around 330 000 hectares of land per year.
While others may think the raid was foolish, we believe it is the first step towards the ultimate solution to curb the problem. Whether the vendors are used as fronts for politicians or otherwise in a seemingly lucrative business, one must think of the consequences of wantonly cutting down trees in the country. We call on the authorities to smoke out the real people behind this decimation of indigenous trees.
The failure by government and power utility Zesa to provide a cheap and reliable energy substitute for electrical energy which has become unreliable and expensive does not condone the reckless cutting-down of indigenous trees across the country.
It takes up to 25 years for these indigenous trees to mature, but what we have discovered in the Mbare scenario is that some people or co-operatives are selfishly creating desertification for personal gain. We believe youth empowerment should not be illegal, but orderly.
What is disturbing is that the crime attracts only a $20 fine, when they have damaged the ecosystem whose results can be felt wide and far. One wonders whether our legislators are serious when the laws cannot protect our environment given the effects of climate change. The fact that the whole world is battling to find a solution to reduce the effects of the changing climate speaks volumes on a matter of life and death.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Parliament should protect the environment by enacting laws that will severely punish would-be offenders. The fact that a wood poacher can be fined $20 for a crime of this nature shows lack of seriousness on the part of government. Perhaps that is why we do not have a climate change policy despite being a signatory to many environment conventions.
We urge the authorities to smoke out the real perpetrators of deforestation, and there should not be any sacred cows.
