By ZBC Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN movie, Gonarezhou, which raises awareness on anti-poaching premiered last night in Nairobi, Kenya, amid calls for African countries to come up with African solutions to African wildlife challenges.
Wildlife conservation challenges are a cause of concern in many parts of Africa, with film and wildlife conservation enthusiasts who attended the premiere of Gonarezhou in Nairobi last night, giving plaudits to creatives behind the movie for coming up with a narrative on wildlife conservatory that is Afrocentric.
“This movie is so unique and refreshing. It is one of the best films to come out of Africa. As Africans, we should continue raising awareness on such issues in a way that resonates with Africans like what this movie does.
“I am glad that this film involves a lot of women as they should be involved more in conservation issues. We should have female rangers because conservation is everyone’s responsibility,” said those present at the premiere.
Kenyan conservation expert, Marete Selvin reckons wildlife conservation is everyone’s responsibility.
“Human-wildlife conflict and poaching are a cause for concern in Africa such that conservation ceases to be rangers’ responsibility alone, every African should become a conservationist, ” Marete said.
The Gonarezhou cast also spoke on how effective art is in tackling societal issues.
Guest of honor at the premiere, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry Mangaliso Ndlovu highlighted some of the measures his Ministry has taken to deal with wildlife conservation challenges.
“We have come up with innovative approaches in areas where cases of human-wildlife conflict are high. We have recruited rangers from those areas because these are their animals and they are capable of taking care of them. As Africans we must come up with our own solutions to deal with this menace,” he said.
Written and directed by Sydney Taivavashe, Gonarezhou the movie was inspired by the killing of 300 elephants by poachers using cyanide in 2013 and has premiered in Zimbabwe, Los Angeles where it was named the Best feature narrative and at the Pan African Film Festival, in Rwanda and now Kenya.
