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Loveness Bepete Chronicle Reporter
Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Saviour Kasukuwere has attacked the country’s Conservation Task Force chairperson, Johnny Rodrigues for fighting the government’s decision to export baby elephants to China, France and the United Arab Emirates.

The move by the government is meant to control the ballooning elephant population.

Addressing representatives from various government ministries, organisations and villagers at the launch of the Hwange-Sanyati Biological Corridor Project by Acting President Phelekezela Mphoko in Hwange last Friday, Cde Kasukuwere said Hwange National Park has a population of 53,000 elephants which is way above its carrying capacity of 12,000.

He said the country was selling its elephants as a way of empowering communities that were impoverished by the Western imposed illegal sanctions.

“Where we try to engage tour operators to bring their various friends into the country they’re barred by sanctions, when we try to bring in the hunters they’re also denied by sanctions and when we try to sell our own animals they say don’t sell.

“We’ve chosen to be decisive and ensure that our communities survive out of what we have hence we’ve been carrying out these live sales of animals. When Hwange has more animals than it can carry what do you want us to do?” Cde Kasukuwere said.

The Minister said the country was being heavily criticised following its decision to sell animals.

“We’ve faced a barrage of criticism since the time we decided to sell our animals. This decision we’re convinced was very informed given our animal population.

“The problem we have is that at times we’re too good.

“We’ve allowed some racists elements to continue to interfere with our conservation work,” he said.

Cde Kasukuwere said some people who had little understanding of conservation have become “authorities” in animal conversation.

He said these people now regard themselves as “the chief apostles” of conservation.

“What does Rodrigues know about animals, a Rhodesian Selous Scout who wants to tell us how to run our animals in this country?

“He used to kill our people during the war of liberation.

“That’s what he only knows and we are saying this to him; mind your own business chief, the days when you used to kill Africans are over. Shut up, we’re now fed up with you,” Cde Kasukuwere said.

Rodrigues came up with a petition calling on the government to stop exporting baby elephants to China, the United Arab Emirates and France.

He said it was cruel, unethical and inhumane to keep the baby elephants away from their families.

Rodrigues said the animals were being punished simply because they were born in Zimbabwe.

According to the recent statistic the country has 88,000 elephants which is double its carrying capacity.