The Gokwe Chitekete community is living in fear due to stray elephants which have been terrorizing residents in the Nenyunka Chiefdom and some parts of Chief Chireya.
The elephants which were first noticed on the 14th of August, are still seen around the villages which is now posing danger to the residents who are now finding it difficult to chase for their cattle at evenings.
To add more salt on wounds, the government has since announced that exam classes will be opening on the 30th of August with the rest on the following week which has brought more worries to the parents as they fear for their kids.
On the 14th of August, these elephants killed two women, while other two sustained some injuries trying to flee from danger.
Narrating to My Gokwe Media, Mrs Sibanda said she was even scared of even going to her field in Madyambudzi after she saw one of the victims of these stray elephants.
“I can’t imagine going to my field after what I saw on one of the victims. The old woman was in pieces and it was really terrible. This year I will do my farming around my houses, Madyambudzi is a no go area.”
However, according to Chronicle, Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo had confirmed that the jumbo was being tracked down in order to kill but Villagers in the Zhomba- Chitekete are not belieiving if that ever happened.
Reports emanating from the villagers are that the elephants are still loitering around the villages, terrorizing people while there are also reports that one them has since gave birth.
“The problem is that here in Gokwe we are not taken seriously. The elephants are still in our area and it is being said that one of them now has a calf. This means we are now in more danger than previously”, said in worry Mabota.
It has become a tradition that these elephants usually pass by this community as they switch Chirisa Game Park and Chizarira National Park during the harvesting period between March and June.
However, this time around they seem to have delayed to shift and because of food shortages where they are coming from, they decided to settle in the villages for a while, which has never been the case before.
The people of Zhomba- Chitekete are appealing for the government to make sure that they search everywhere and restore the safety of villagers in this community.
“We are kindly asking for the government to take our matter with urgency and send their guys to chase away these animals.”
Given that schools are opening in less than a week, more victims may be witnessed if no action is taken.
