The Chinese, Chiyangwa & illegal ivory

By Tererai Karimakwenda
30 August 2005

Some officials in The Zimbabwe National Army and some local politicians have been implicated in illegal ivory trade deals that involve Chinese investors and other unnamed partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sources working within the National Parks have revealed information that shows how some of these horns are flown out of Zimbabwe or shipped across Lake Kariba and couriered through Zambia to Mbuji-Mayi in the DRC. The only two officials named in this scandal so far are a Captain Bhebhe and the former ZANU-PF chairman for Mashonaland West, Phillip Chiyangwa.

The investigation by Oscar Nkala, a Zimbabwean journalist based in South Africa, was initiated by a series of ivory shipments recently discovered in Zimbabwe. Nkala says about two months ago, seventy two pieces of ivory were found during a raid in Harare. Two Chinese nationals and three Zimbabweans were arrested at the time. The Chinese went on to implicate an unnamed ZANU-PF former member of parliament.

Then in the last two weeks, more pieces of ivory were discovered, fourteen at a roadblock in Harare and eleven during a raid in Gokwe. This led to a search for information from national parks guards who eventually exposed the whole scandal, and for their safety, remain anonymous.

It is alleged that Captain Bhebhe uses helicopters to transport the ivory with the help of army personnel who are supposed to be on anti-poaching patrols. Much of this activity is allegedly taking place at Chizarira National Park just south of Lake Kariba. The cargo is then shipped across the Lake to Zambia, onwards to the DRC and eventually winds up in the hands of buyers in China, Israel and The Netherlands. Entebbe Airport in Uganda and the Burundian capital Bujumbura are reported to be key places along this illegal trade route.

As for the businessman and former ZANU-PF chef Phillip Chiyangwa, he is allegedly involved with some Chinese investors who frequent a plant located somewhere in Harare's industrial parks. It is at this plant that elephant's feet are "cured". Nkala has tried in vain to get in touch with Chiyangwa.