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Cde Oppah Muchinguri

Tinashe Farawo Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT is appealing for the immediate extradition of an American dentist who killed Cecil the lion so that he is made accountable for his poaching in the country. Speaking to journalists yesterday, Water, Environment and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the killing of the popular lion in Hwange early last month was a well-coordinated activity.

The minister spoke as more than 100 000 people signed a petition for the dentist’s extradition in the United States.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said her ministry had already approached the Prosecutor-General to process the papers for the immediate extradition of Dr Walter Palmer.

“We are appealing to the responsible authorities for his extradition to Zimbabwe so that he be made accountable for his illegal actions,” she said.

She said investigations have shown that the killing of Cecil the Lion was properly orchestrated and well financed to ensure that it succeeded.

“As we frantically try to protect our wildlife from organised gangs such as this one, there are people who command respect in the society such as Dr Palmer and Theo Bronkhorst — an experienced licensed professional hunter,” she said.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said Dr Palmer and his gang connived to undermine not only the country’s laws but also international laws in illegally killing the lion.

Dr Palmer violated the provisions of the Parks and Wildlife Act Section 66 which regulates the manner in which trophy hunts are conducted.

He violated Section 123 which controls the use of bow and arrow for hunting and through financing an illegal hunt, while his accomplice, the land owner, violated Section 59 which controls hunting on private land in that he allowed a hunt to be conducted without quota and necessary permit.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the lion was fitted with a satellite collar as part of a research that was being done by the Hwange National Park.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said hunting quotas are allocated on sustainable basis and permits are issued out to land owners on an annual basis.

Speaking at the same function Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Director-General Mr Edson Chidziya, said the country had a lion population of over 2 000.

“We have a population of +/- 2 000 and I think you need to appreciate that the cats family are difficult to do a census,” he said.

He said the recent exportation of baby lions in some parts of the world was done above board.

“You need to appreciate that our elephants population is above our carrying capacity and we were left with no option but to dispose some of them,” he said.

Zimbabwe has more than 80 000 jumbos.

Zimbabwe and the United States signed an extradition agreement on July 25 1997.

An official in the Prosecutor General’s office Mr Allan Chifokoyo said they will apply to the relevant authorities once they receive formal reports.

“We are waiting for the police to give us the docket because the procedure is that the police prepare the docket and forward it to the Prosecutor General and we act upon their request,” he said.

“There will be a warrant of apprehension to the Prosecutor General attached to the docket and the Prosecutor General will then apply to the relevant authorities.”

Cecil the Lion was killed on July 1 and it has sparked global outrage with demonstrations across the globe.