Zimbabwe: Mugabe unhappy with white professional hunters, over 1000 ZANU-PF youths to be trained

[Brent in Az]

I don't think Mugabe grasps the reality of how important sportsman's dollars are to local Zim economies. Plus the positive conservation, and anti poaching , that helps in the long term. The hunting industry in Zim gets destroyed, Mugabe dies of old age, and everyone else is left to try and pick up the pieces.

 

[Rob404]

Affirmitive action Mugabe Style

 

[enysse]

It's a bunch of hot air unless he takes the current PH's licenses away. People will hire the best PH for the job. And people will make their choice based on experience and price.

 

[Royal27]

Rhetoric...

Could all white PHs get the boot? Sure. Is it likely? I just don't see it. Not worth the effort I wouldn't think. At least with the land grab there was something tangible to take.

Who knows? Not me...

 

[Dragan N.]

Well the first thing I find rather amusing is that this politburo secretary Pupurai Togarepi is basically saying that criminals (I'm sure he means or is implying white PHs) killed Cecil the lion. Its kind of funny because the people making the biggest fuss about Cecil the lion were white people from America, Britain, Canada, Australia etc... I saw several news organizations who interviewed actual Zimbabweans during the whole Cecil crises and not one was particularly concerned- most didn't seem to care but some even said how dangerous lions are or doesn't the world have bigger problems than lions. This whole outcry over Cecil was largely a "first world phenomenon".

Call me contrary, perhaps, but I really don't see the big issue with what crazy Uncle Bob wants to do. I disagree unequivocally with his rationale (white Zimbabweans are just as much Zimbabweans as black Zimbabweans), but I think it would be good for the long term future of hunting in Zim that there be more local people trained as PH's, and making a living from the hunting industry.

If it really does cost $30,000 to train a PH in Zim (and I see no reason to doubt that number), then providing financial aid to poor blacks is really no different than North American governments providing grants and loans for education, based on means.

What would be a serious issue for me is if they diluted the quality of the training in order to be able to call untrained people PH's. Zimbabwe has the best PH training in Africa, bar none, and as long as they keep it that way, bringing more local, black people into the industry as something other than cooks or trackers seems to make a whole lot of sense to me.

And it can only be good for hunting in the long run.

Well the problem is that exceptional training is extensive and costly. You can't have amazing training for dirt cheap. But I definitely see where you are coming from. On the one hand I think its amazing that in Zimbabwe PH training is essentially like university or any other professional training- it lasts 5 years and is quite extensive. But the Zimbabwean PHs are truly professional hunters, emphasis on professional, in every sense of the word. Its not some course that lasts a few days or weeks that any hack can finish and suddenly becomes a "professional" hunter.

Now on the other hand 30,000 is a large sum of money even in the West and that is around what university, depending on the program as some are quite a bit more, costs in Canada. Canada is a first world country and one of the wealthiest in the world. Now if that is a large sum in Canada that is an astronomical sum in Zimbabwe, which is one of the poorer countries in the world. To afford that course you would probably have to come from a well off family, as I doubt someone who came from a poor family could attend that training and work part time to pay for it, as 30,000 divided over 5 years is 6000 a year which is probably more than what the average Zimbabwean makes.

Now I am sure there are black people or black youths who have maybe spent all or most of their lives in the bush and are excellent hunters and some would probably be excellent guides despite having any formal training. I mean I know some natives up north who despite not having formal training are excellent hunters and some even guides because they lived and hunted their whole lives in the bush. I am sure such people exist in Zimbabwe to. Now with that being said a good hunter is not necessarily a good guide as they may lack the hospitality part to guiding that is also very important. After it is your job to make the client's hunt, or very expensive vacation in most cases enjoyable.

Well sorry for my long winded reply but that's my .02 for what its worth.

 

[CAustin]

Mugabe=Idiot

Can't say it more simply. That country was once the bread basket of Africa. Now what is it? Not much!

 

[enysse]

Well the first thing I find rather amusing is that this politburo secretary Pupurai Togarepi is basically saying that criminals (I'm sure he means or is implying white PHs) killed Cecil the lion. Its kind of funny because the people making the biggest fuss about Cecil the lion were white people from America, Britain, Canada, Australia etc... I saw several news organizations who interviewed actual Zimbabweans during the whole Cecil crises and not one was particularly concerned- most didn't seem to care but some even said how dangerous lions are or doesn't the world have bigger problems than lions. This whole outcry over Cecil was largely a "first world phenomenon".

That pretty much sums it up, very well!

 

[Hank2211]

Mugabe=Idiot

Can't say it more simply. That country was once the bread basket of Africa. Now what is it? Not much!

Austin, I think all of us on this site would agree with that sentiment.

But this is really about more than that. As Dragan N and others have said (and I'd quote it but I keep getting "Forbidden"), training blacks as PH's isn't a bad thing, if done correctly.

I've run into two black professional hunters in my various escapades in Zimbabwe, and both were outstanding, both in terms of hunting, knowledge, and the general sociability that's such a great part of the hunt. It can be done right and if it is done right, then it will be good for hunting.

 

[Dragan N.]

Austin, I think all of us on this site would agree with that sentiment.

But this is really about more than that. As Dragan N and others have said (and I'd quote it but I keep getting "Forbidden"), training blacks as PH's isn't a bad thing, if done correctly.

I've run into two black professional hunters in my various escapades in Zimbabwe, and both were outstanding, both in terms of hunting, knowledge, and the general sociability that's such a great part of the hunt. It can be done right and if it is done right, then it will be good for hunting.

Yes I fully agree. I don't know if its worth mentioning but the hunting industry in Zimbabwe and all over Africa employs many blacks. Virtually all of the trackers and skinners and most camp staff are black. And Id say most are quite competent at their jobs. Now I would think many skills that a tracker needs are those that a PH needs as well, there are obviously differences between the two professions but also many similarities.

I mean obviously I am not qualified enough say this but I'm just theorizing here if they introduced a system were a tracker that showed potential to be a good PH could receive training from his company and then have to pass a state administered PH test to get his licence, I think it could possibly work. This way promotions and upwards mobility is something poorer Zimbabweans who work in the hunting industry could get. I mean lots of companies offer additional training and promotions to employees whose skills and attitude merit that. That way people who had the skills to become competent PHs could do so if they didn't have the money to pay for 5 years of school.

 

[edward]

along with the obvious skills needed,the language skills needs to be addressed.kind of hard to spend 10 days with a ph that doesnt speak english.

 

[Royal27]

along with the obvious skills needed,the language skills needs to be addressed.kind of hard to spend 10 days with a ph that doesnt speak english.

I agree, but it is interesting how in some countries, such as eastern europe, poor English is OK. I guess because there really aren't other options?

There is also such a social aspect, in my opinion, to hunting in Africa that makes this so important I think. Experience of the adventure is so much more than just tracking and finding the animal.

 

[Rob404]

The Tracker at CT Safaris speaks English, Afrikaans as well as 3 other African Dialects

 

[Red Leg]

I agree, but it is interesting how in some countries, such as eastern europe, poor English is OK. I guess because there really aren't other options?

There is also such a social aspect, in my opinion, to hunting in Africa that makes this so important I think. Experience of the adventure is so much more than just tracking and finding the animal.

Lol. I have also heard a rumor that all those French fellows in West Africa have to muddle through that whole English thing as well. Seems to be working for them and their clients.

 

[johnnyblues]

Death to liberal politicians. Sorry for the strong words but I personally hate what the liberals are doing around the world . I really feel sorry for the next generation who will grow up in this country . But maybe since they will not know anything else it may just seem right to them. Those of us old enough to remember a great America morn for what we have lost. How can we defeat the liberals anymore? The media is tremendously liberal, professors in colleges are completely liberal. Anyone seeing our lifestyle slipping away?

 

[lcq]

Mugabe is an idiot. But then so is our American President. Many similarities.

Both born in Kenya?

 

[lcq]

Thank you. We are just at the beginning of this run, while you are closer to the end than the beginning. Will hope things go better for you next time!

Time to bury your guns because Trudeau has just taken the RCMP off their leash. Worse the Liberal Party platform stated "we will ensure Police not Politicians make firearms laws" scary stuff

 

[Hank2211]

I agree, but it is interesting how in some countries, such as eastern europe, poor English is OK. I guess because there really aren't other options?

There is also such a social aspect, in my opinion, to hunting in Africa that makes this so important I think. Experience of the adventure is so much more than just tracking and finding the animal.

It is a bit funny that we expect our PH's to speak English fluently when we're in /southern or Eastern Africa. Yet we have no real qualms about French speaking PH's in Cameroon and CAR, and other non-English speakers in the "Stans".

having said that, to get back to the subject at hand, most Zimbabweans speak some English, and it wouldn't take long for the average tracker who has spent time with English speaking clients to get up to a reasonable level of fluency.

I'm actually starting to think Uncle Bob might be on to something here . . . perhaps time for a beer!

 

[David W. Kropelnicki]

PRESIDENT Mugabe is unhappy that professional hunting remains in the hands of white people hence ZANU-PF aims to train over 1000 youths in that area, politburo secretary for youth Pupurai Togarepi has said.

Togarepi said this to youths undergoing professional hunting training in Harare, Wednesday. He said the program will see some youths sent to Kenya for further training.

“President Mugabe bemoaned the fact that professional hunting remains in the hands of white people who are affluent. He said why don’t we go in, look after our animals and if we have to hunt them for financial resources, why don’t we do it as Zimbabweans.

“Many of the conservation activities that are done in Africa are sponsored from Europe and America. How can they tell us to conserve our animals and yet if you look closely they do not have animals except in the zoo,” said Togarepi.

“So, why don’t we trade ourselves and then professionally look after our animals and then productively get resources that can improve our economy ourselves.”

Togarepi claimed that white people who control the industry had priced most Zimbabweans out by pegging training at a staggering $30,000.

“This is an empowerment drive, why can’t we empower the youths. This is the first stage and you will move through different stages.
“We hope as you get into this trade you are not going to be corrupt like those who connived with the white man from America (Lion Cecil killer Walter Palmer).

“We are not training criminals here; we are training contributors to our economy, so we expect that after this course, you should be principled, professional and informed about conservations of wildlife,” the ZANU-PF youth leader said.

Thousands of ZANU-PF activists are known to have invaded most of the country’s world acclaimed wild-life sanctuaries turning them into desolate jungles after hunting down almost all the animals.
Togarepi said youths should be grateful to Mugabe and must stay away from ZANU-PF factional fights and succession wars.

“If anyone says follow my orders because I was appointed by the President don’t listen. Within our revolution, there are people who are there to destroy the revolution and if you are not careful you will miss the point by following the pretenders.

 

[David W. Kropelnicki]

PRESIDENT Mugabe is unhappy that professional hunting remains in the hands of white people hence ZANU-PF aims to train over 1000 youths in that area, politburo secretary for youth Pupurai Togarepi has said.

Togarepi said this to youths undergoing professional hunting training in Harare, Wednesday. He said the program will see some youths sent to Kenya for further training.

“President Mugabe bemoaned the fact that professional hunting remains in the hands of white people who are affluent. He said why don’t we go in, look after our animals and if we have to hunt them for financial resources, why don’t we do it as Zimbabweans.

“Many of the conservation activities that are done in Africa are sponsored from Europe and America. How can they tell us to conserve our animals and yet if you look closely they do not have animals except in the zoo,” said Togarepi.

“So, why don’t we trade ourselves and then professionally look after our animals and then productively get resources that can improve our economy ourselves.”

Togarepi claimed that white people who control the industry had priced most Zimbabweans out by pegging training at a staggering $30,000.

“This is an empowerment drive, why can’t we empower the youths. This is the first stage and you will move through different stages.
“We hope as you get into this trade you are not going to be corrupt like those who connived with the white man from America (Lion Cecil killer Walter Palmer).

“We are not training criminals here; we are training contributors to our economy, so we expect that after this course, you should be principled, professional and informed about conservations of wildlife,” the ZANU-PF youth leader said.

Thousands of ZANU-PF activists are known to have invaded most of the country’s world acclaimed wild-life sanctuaries turning them into desolate jungles after hunting down almost all the animals.
Togarepi said youths should be grateful to Mugabe and must stay away from ZANU-PF factional fights and succession wars.

“If anyone says follow my orders because I was appointed by the President don’t listen. Within our revolution, there are people who are there to destroy the revolution and if you are not careful you will miss the point by following the pretenders.

Mugabe should join forces with Obummer! They both hate white people and are bent on destroying their respective countries!!!

 

[Desert Dog]

Just more racist deflection rhetoric.

One minute; "The white man is the cause of all evil and pillages OUR resources"
Next minute: "White man, please come back, farm your ancestral lands, and fix our economy"