Elephant tramples senior ZANU-PF official’s son to death

File photo for illustration

An elephant trampled to death ZANU-PF senior official Ellias Mzamba’s son, Ronald Mzamba of Dunu Village, Masue Resettlement area.

Mzamba and his three colleagues were attacked by an elephant during an inspection patrol in the area.

RDC Councillor for Matetsi ward one, Cllr Vulindlela Mhlanga told the Chronicle news that the late Mzamba was working with three others when the accident occurred last Wednesday.

“There were two armed forest rangers and two community men who were repairing an electrical fence which encloses homesteads and fields.

“The wire was erected by the community to control wildlife conflict between the communities and animals like elephants and lions,” said Cllr Mhlanga.

An elephant and its calf were inside the fence which the four men were repairing.

As they moved in a single file in tall grass, the elephant attacked them.

The elephant trampled Mzamba to death.

Hwange DCC Secretary for Administration Nkosilathi Jiyani said: “Mzamba was wearing a white cap and a blue shirt which drew more attention to the elephant.

“The elephant proceeded to chase Mzamba who fell after running just a few metres. The elephant stamped on him,” said Jiyani.

Mzamba was buried on Friday in the Woodlands area.

Meanwhile, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks at more than 60 people were killed while 50 others were injured, some permanently, since January to December last year.

Zimparks said this was due to a deadly conflict between a growing population and wildlife. This is a 58% increase in such cases from 38 people who were killed the previous year.

Zimparks spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo, is on record saying some had been trampled by elephants, some gored by buffaloes while others were killed by hippopotamus, lions and hyenas.

“We have received (more than) 1 500 distress calls from community members,” Farawo said at the time.

He said human wildlife conflict was usually caused by wild animals that stray to human settlements in search of food and water especially during drought seasons.

It was also reported that elephants have killed more humans than any other animal during that period.

-Zwnews/ Chronicle