Police in Zaka District have launched a manhunt for thieves who harvested approximately 500kgs of fish at Chinorumba High School fish pond recently.
The school received the fish donation under the Presidential Fish scheme in the run-up to the 2023 harmonised elections.
School head Nixon Bhenyu confirmed the incident to TellZim News but did not reveal how it unfolded. He referred all questions to the District Schools Inspector (DSI) Samson Chidzurira. Said Chidzurira:
I don’t have intricate details of what happened but the school head informed me of the incident and the matter has since been reported to the police.
Commenting on the matter on the Zaka Development WhatsApp platform, Zaka Central legislator and Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Davis Marapira (ZANU PF), said:
I am sorry for the loss and this tells me that we still have people in Ward 13 who are against the President’s ideas of building the country through development.
However, it is also important for people to make sure they put security measures in place when we get these projects.
Where there are important projects even at our solarized boreholes or gardens we should have security.
Marapira then pledged to replace the stolen fish with double the amount. He wrote:
Anti-development people cannot stop the President’s projects, the thieves will be apprehended in no time. I will bring 4000 to replace the 2000 which were stolen.
In January this year, Tshabili Secondary School in Beitbridge experienced a major setback after unknown people administered poison in a fish pond killing all the fish.
In July 2021, a fish farmer from the Chinorumba area in Muhope Village under Chief Nhema lost close to 2000 breams to thieves whom he suspected to have used nets to harvest from his fish pond.
