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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu / Patrick Chitumba, Chronicle Reporters
CHARCOAL valued at US$40 000 and US$10  000 worth of firewood has been recovered during the ongoing nationwide blitz launched to curb the illegal cutting down of trees.

To stop the illicit trade in charcoal and firewood, the Government launched the campaign spearheaded by the Forestry Commission with support from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement; Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry; Environmental Management Agency; Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks); police and local authorities.

In an interview Forestry Commission General Manager, Mr Abedinigo Marufu said by Monday evening 4 000 bags of charcoal and 2 000 truckloads of firewood had been confiscated.

He said the blitz will run until the end of September.

“Since the start of the blitz 4 000 bags of charcoal with estimated value of US$40 000 were recovered across the country while 2 000 cords (truckloads) of firewood with an estimated value of US$10  000 were recovered. The blitz will run till end of September. Some districts in the country have not been covered and they will be covered as the blitz continues. We are yet to compile a full report but so far we have managed to compile a report for the first 12 days of the operation which we have submitted to Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry,” he said.

“During the first 12 days of the blitz, a total of 224 arrests were recorded for various forest offences. 31 vehicles were impounded for illegal movement of firewood, 11 scotch carts, 2 chainsaws and 7 axes were also confiscated. In Matabeleland North 68 Mukwa planks and an unconfirmed number of round timber logs were intercepted and recovered.”

He said the blitz teams have been patrolling targeted areas, setting-up and manning roadblocks and raiding hotspots or laying ambushes where they receive tip-offs on related illegal activities.

According to the Forestry Commission, on average Zimbabwe loses 262 000 hectares of forest annually. The major drivers of this include land clearing for agriculture and related settlement; infrastructural development; tree cutting for firewood and charcoal production as well as removal of vegetation due to urban expansion.

The Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu recently said stiffer penalties will be put in place to curb activities of illegal poaching of firewood as they were causing severe damage to the environment.

In the Midlands province, over 150 people have been arrested in connection with firewood transportation and selling.

Firewood worth around US$2 500 was confiscated in an operation that resulted in the impounding of 18 vehicles and 17 scotch carts.

The firewood blitz is still going on in all districts in the province and the worst affected are Gweru, Kwekwe, Zvishavane and Gokwe South.

Mr Roderick Nyahwai, Forestry Commission Midlands provincial manager said according to the arrested culprits they poach firewood at farms surrounding urban areas.

“In the Midlands province, most of the raids are targeting the firewood barons who sometimes use trucks to poach firewood with 156 people having been fined about RTGS420 000 while 18 vehicles and 17 scotch carts have been confiscated under the operation. After paying the fines, the vehicles and scotch carts were released to their owners. A total of 50 cubes of firewood worth around US$2 500 were confiscated,” he said.

“This activity has significantly contributed to deforestation. Charcoal production is also causing forest cover depletion in Gokwe North, Copper Queen area and Zvishavane along Masvingo road. We are targeting to stop commercial use of indigenous wood and will continue doing patrols, raids and road blocks. We are getting good assistance from the police, ZimParks, and Ema.”

Mr Nyahwai said it’s a cat and mouse game for Forestry Commission rangers as the firewood poachers have devised ways of evading the law.

“The problem is that most of our rangers work within the stipulated times of 0800 hours to 1530 in line with Covid-19 protocols. Now these firewood dealers usually operate at night to avoid raids. We end up rounding up people like these who sell at the back of the shops,” he said.

Mr Nyahwai said their raids are mostly in Zvishavane and Gweru since rangers in some districts have no transport to use.

“Some of the offices have no transport at all. We need to save the environment at all costs,” he said.

Lack of deterrent measures in dealing with perpetrators has also been identified as a major factor that has seen the law enforcement agents failing to deal with the menace.

Mr Nyahwai said the problem is that the law prescribes that when one is arrested with the firewood, they are fined $3 000.

“This has seen us arresting the same people time and again as there is no custodial sentence to offenders.,” he said.

Mr Tinashe Murowa from Mkoba 21 suburb said he resorted to using firewood because of power challenges they face.

He said thieves vandalized a transformer in his area leading to a power outage.

“We haven’t had power in the past three months after thieves vandalized a Zesa transformer so the last resort has been firewood we buy from people who go around. A scotch cart load costs US$20 while four pieces cost RTGS100 or US$1,” he said.

Firewood vendor Mr David Ncube said they buy the firewood from some farmers.

“I have been in this business buying and selling firewood for the past four years since firewood is on demand. We have a lot of housing developments where there is no Zesa. So, we sell to such clients,” he said.

He said it is better to get arrested as the fine is little as compared to the money they make.