FISHERMEN at Lake Chivero near Harare have vowed to use traditional means to avenge the death of their colleague who was fatally shot at point-blank range by a Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) game ranger on Sunday afternoon.
BY MOSES MATENGA STAFF REPORTER
The deceased, identified as Alpha Rujara (Jnr), reportedly died on the spot after he was shot by the Zimparks ranger guarding the area.
The incident has angered fish poachers and mongers operating in the area who accused Zimparks officials of demanding $50 bribes and at times threatening to shoot them even after paying the bribe.
Angry fishermen at the scene said many of their colleagues had been indiscriminately shot and killed, adding that most cases went unreported.
“There are more than 30 000 youths in this area that can’t get formal employment and this is our form of livelihood. We have endured cruelty from these people, but enough is enough,” a self-proclaimed poacher who declined to be named said.
“Something of this sort happened three years ago and the family of the person killed consulted a traditional healer. The official who shot him dead went for three months without defecating. I think that’s the language they will understand,” another fisherman said.
Narrating the ordeal to NewsDay yesterday, a distraught Amos Rujara, an uncle of the deceased, said: “We got here at around 2pm and we saw the Parks official drinking beer. We went to him and we paid $50 like we always do. We were allowed in for 30 minutes and while we were busy, he came from another corner and just shouted at us saying our time was up.When Alpha attempted to use the rope to go out, we heard a gunshot and the official fled the scene,” Rujara said.
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The deceased’s father Alpha Rujara (Snr) could not stomach the loss of his son whom he described as the family’s sole breadwinner.
He said he would pursue the matter legally until justice prevailed.
“Doves (Funeral Services) need $65 tomorrow morning (today) and I have nowhere to get that kind of money. I would appreciate assistance from government and Zimparks to bury my son and we start talking from there,” he said.
Zimparks spokesperson Caroline Washaya-Moyo declined to comment and referred NewsDay to national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba. However, Charamba referred the matter back to Zimparks, saying they were better placed to comment.
