Maricho November Edition

5
Parks and wildlife
legislation poised
for reform
Zimbabwe has started consultations towards reviewing
the Parks and Wildlife Act (Chapter 20:14) to align with
the Constitution and international conventions and
norms while ensuring that it meets the current needs
of society.
Wildlife conservation and tourism stability are deemed key factors
in supporting the growth and performance of the country’s
economic pillars, hence the focus.
“Our country is a signatory to several conventions that regulate
our wildlife management like, Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
Convention on Biological Diversity ( CBD) and Convention on
Migratory Species (CMS) to mention but a few.
There is need to ensure that while maintaining our national
sovereignty we domesticate provisions of these conventions
and that we are, where possible, guided by them as we enact
our laws,” said Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality
Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu at a Legislative Review
Consultative Meeting.
This is a process of ensuring that all laws do not contravene
the constitution which is the supreme law of the land. What is
expected is for government ministries to evaluate their laws
against the Constitution.
The Act provides for the establishment and management of
protected areas, conservation and management of wildlife
resources and associated habitats.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe places an obligation on ZimParks
Authority, which is under Ministry of Environment, Climate,
Tourism and Hospitality Industry to ensure the protection of the
environment, and to take reasonable measures to secure the
ecological sustainable development and use of natural resources
while promoting justifiable economic and social development.
With more than 80 000 elephants in Zimbabwe against a
carrying capacity of 40 000, this is posing a challenge on how
to ensure, for example, the country’s contribution to the growth
of the global elephant population without compromising the
existence of other species that share ecological niches with the
gentle giants.
“We need to address issues such as habitat loss while also
ensuring that there is equitable distribution of the benefits derived
from the commercial use of natural resources, particularly by
these directly affected by HWC,” said Minister Ndlovu.
Why the review
This process involves identifying those sections of the law which
are ultra vires the Constitution and
--- repeal, or
---amend, or
---come up with a new law altogether
Zimbabwe is endowed with flora and fauna and unique
ecosystems and is managed through Acts of Parliament. The
Parks Act (20:14) is the key legislative framework for wildlife
heritage conservation and management in Zimbabwe.
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