Chronicle (Zimbabwe)

Stray bullet kills woman

- Leonard Ncube

A 62-YEAR-OLD woman from Jambezi outside Victoria Falls died on the spot at her homestead when a stray bullet fired by a ranger in an attempt to kill a problem elephant hit her on the head.

Ms Irene Munsaka died on Monday night at her homestead in Chenamisa village, about 13km from Cross Mbizha along the Hwange-Victoria Falls road.

Rangers from Hwange Rural District Council (HRDC)’s Community Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire) had visited the area between Jambezi Centre and Chikandaku­bi to drive away problem wild animals that have been terrorisin­g villagers.

Elephants, buffaloes, lions and hyenas visit human settlement­s in search of water and food as humanwildl­ife conflicts escalate in communitie­s adjacent to game parks because of drought.

With a majority of water sources in areas bordering Hwange National Park in Matetsi area drying up, wild animals visit Chenamisa village to drink water from a spring shared by the community and their livestock.

“She was in her yard around 8PM when she was shot on the head and died on the spot. The rangers shot at an elephant but missed it. A bullet strayed into her homestead and hit her on the head. What we don’t know is why the rangers shot in the direction of the homesteads when the elephants should have been on the side of the fields,” said Chenamisa village head Mr Frazer Munsaka who is also the now deceased’s younger brother.

He said villagers alerted Campfire immediatel­y after the incident happened.

Another relative, Mr Emmanuel Tshuma, accused Campfire officers of negligence adding that the family wants compensati­on.

“This shows that they didn’t take precaution­ary measures to make sure they don’t harm villagers.

People have lost crops and livestock to these wild animals and now we have lost a person because of negligence. Investigat­ions should be done and they have to compensate us,” he said.

Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokespers­on Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the incident but said the wildlife authority was not directly involved.

“We received such a report but you should know that it’s not our rangers. Zimparks gave powers to Campfire to deal with problem animals in communitie­s and the matter has been reported to the police as investigat­ions continue,” he said.

HRDC chief executive officer Mr Phindile Ncube said the incident was an accident.

“We’re aware of the issue. They didn’t shoot at a person but a bullet strayed,” he said.

Police took Ms Munsaka’s body to Victoria Falls Hospital mortuary yesterday.-@ncubeleon officers

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