By Brighton Chiseva
ZAKA – The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development through its deputy minister and Zaka Central legislator Davis Marapira restocked Chinorumba High School Presidential Fish Project with 4200 tilapia fingerlings to replace the 2000 fish that were stolen recently.
Marapira confirmed the latest development which happened on May 1 and said security measures were put in place to avoid the situation where 500kgs of fish is alleged to have been stolen saying the fish will be ready for harvest by November.
“My Ministry, (the Ministry of Lands Agriculture Fisheries Water and Rural Development) restocked 4 200 fingerlings yesterday (May 1, 2024). Security measures have been put in place and we are expecting a harvest of 2 000kgs of fish by November 2024,” said Marapira.
Marapira said the Chinorumba Presidential Fish Project was part of the national development programme that will see several schools and communities getting solar-powered boreholes, community gardens, and fish ponds.
“The 4 200 fingerlings are under the Presidential Development Program, a national development agenda that is going to industrialize and develop all our Rural communities by providing 35 000 solar-powered Presidential boreholes, 35 000 Presidential Community One hectare gardens, 70 000 Presidential Fish Ponds, 960 Presidential Boreholes to Schools, with gardens and fish ponds. 4000 Presidential solar-powered boreholes, gardens, and 8 000 fish ponds to our wards for the Presidential Youth Development,” said Marapira.
The thieves who pounced at Chinorumba High School harvested approximately 500kgs of fish from the school fish pond. The school benefited from the program earlier last year (2023) as part of the preparations for hosting one of the most subscribed Zanu PF rallies in the run-up to the 2023 harmonized election.
The circumstances on how the 500kgs of fish disappeared without trace at a school with a security guard remains a mystery and when the school head Nixon Bhenyu confirmed the incident theft he said he could not divulge more and referred questions to the District Schools Inspector Samson Chidzurira.
Chidzurira confirmed having received the report from the school and said he was told that around 500kgs of fish were stolen and a police report was made but could not shed more on how the incident happened.
“I don’t have intricate details of what really happened but the school head informed me of the incident and the matter has since been reported to the police,” said Chidzurira.
Several people believe the incident could have been an inside job with some members of staff being involved and also that the fish may have been stolen over a long period for it was difficult to steal such a big number of fish.
However, the incident is not new to the area as in July 2021, one fish farmer from Chinorumba area in Muhope Village under Chief Nhema was left counting losses when he lost close to 2000 breams from thieves whom he suspected to have used nets to harvest from his fish pond.
