BY OBERT SIAMILANDU THIS year’s edition of the Nyaminyami Festival, which was slated for tomorrow at Lake Harvest harbour in the resort town of Kariba, now hangs in limbo after authorities raised fears of animal attacks at the venue.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), in a statement on Thursday, said it was discouraging the festival organisers, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and Nyaminyami FM, from using the proposed venue due to numerous animal attacks at the harbour.
“I make reference to your letter dated November 15, 2021. We wish to advise you that the authority is discouraging you from hosting the event by the Lake Harvest harbour. The reason being that the venue is within the recreational area and there are a lot of animal movements and we have lost many human lives to crocodile and elephant attacks this season in a short space of time,” ZimParks said.
“The authority is ready to assist and work with you during the event. However, we encourage you to look for a safe venue which is outside the Park Estate. You may consider using Nyamhunga Stadium.”
“For other recreational activities to be carried out in the Parks Estate, participants are required to pay $5 conservation fees and these funds will be channelled towards conservation of our wildlife.”
Since 2017, Nyaminyami Festival has attracted thousands of followers. The festival did not take place in 2019 due the COVID-19 pandemic.
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