Beitbridge East Member of Parliament, Albert Nguluvhe (ZANU PF), has said the indiscriminate cutting down of trees should be regarded as a security threat considering its impact on both the environment and the lives of Zimbabweans as regards Climate Change.
Addressing more than 500 villagers and 85 participants of a 17-kilometre walkathon that preceded a Matabeleland South Tree Planting Day event at Malala Secondary School in Beitbridge, Nguluvhe said parts of Beitbridge District were fast becoming a desert due to deforestation. He said:
<blockquote>
I am going to make such a recommendation in Parliament, where I am the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security.
We are threatened by a desert and the effects of climate change. People who cut trees are a threat to our national security.
Every day people are driving cartloads of freshly cut green trees into Beitbridge, threatening the environment and our future.
This should be stopped and I appeal to the local authorities to take action.
</blockquote>
Among the participants in the walkathon were three Beitbridge female prosecutors, the managing director of Zimborders, Nqobile Ncube, Beitbridge Town Clerk, Loud Ramakgapola, and several shipping agents, youthful pastors from different churches and several fitness enthusiasts.
Nguluvhe, who served as both the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo and former President Robert Mugabe’s top aide, urged local authorities to enact by-laws banning the selling of firewood in Beitbridge.
He also implored councils to impound carts and vehicles used to ferry firewood from freshly felled trees.
Beitbridge West paramount Chief Tshitaudze, born David Mbedzi, said all people intending to build new homes will now be asked to plant trees before laying down foundations.
The Forest Act, Chapter 19:05, Section 78, clearly prohibits the damage or cutting down of any tree, whether it is on public or privately owned land.
Before any tree is cut, permission should be sought from the Forestry Commission, the body set up to protect Zimbabwe’s forests.
The major drivers of deforestation in Zimbabwe are charcoal production, logging, and agricultural expansion.
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Indiscriminate Tree Cutting A Security Threat - ZANU PF MP

Police in Masvingo have invoked the Maintenance of Peace &amp; Order Act to ban a tree planting day activity organised by Masvingo resident Lloyd Mupfudze in ward 4, Gutu, on 15 December 2022.
In a letter addressed to Mupfudze, Chief Superintendent Taurai Joackim Mambure, who is the Regulating Authority for Masvingo East Police District, said the tree-planting-day event cannot go ahead because another political party had already notified them of its intention to hold a political meeting in the same ward. Part of the letter reads:
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I Chief Superintendent Taurai Joackim Mambure of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, being the regulating authority for Masvingo East Police District covering an area of jurisdiction extending from Shashe River to the North West, Denhere Communal lands to the North, Dewure River to the East and Manjirenji Dam to the South.
ACKNOWLEDGE receipt of your notification to hold a tree planting day dated 10/12/22 to be done in Gutu North Constituency, Ward 4, at Takaona Homestead on 15 December 2022 from 1000 hours to 1600 hours which you submitted in terms of Section 7 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act Chapter 11.23.
You are being advised that another political party had already made a notification to hold a political meeting on the same date and ward [Ward 4).
NOW, THEREFORE, I as the Regulating Officer do hereby issue this prohibition notice in terms of section 8(9) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act [Chapter 11.23], prohibiting the holding of tree planting day scheduled for 15/12/22 in Gutu North Constituency Ward 4, from 1000 hours to 1600 hours.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is declared in terms of section 8 (11) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act [Chapter 11: 23] that any person who knowingly opposes or fails to comply with this prohibition notice shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 14 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
The Officer-in-Charge ZRP Gutu is accordingly advised for the necessary monitoring.
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