Effectiveness of the traditional leaders in environmental management: a case of Chirumanzu district.

Abstract

The main aim of the research study was to assess the Effectiveness of the Traditional leaders in environmental management a case of Chirumanzu Rural District. The research focused on the importance of the Indigenous Knowledge System practices in environmental management, the role of other stakeholders such as Environmental Management Agency, Local authority, District Administrator’s office, the challenges that are faced by the traditional leaders in environmental management as well as the possible solutions. The questionnaires and interviews were used to gather data from the respondents. The research findings were that the environment is increasingly mismanaged as a result of the new governance which has sidelined the traditional leaders in environmental protection, the issue of the western thought which has introduced many techniques such as religion, political changes which undermined the Indigenous Knowledge System practices. Last but not list the population expansion is also another challenge that has contributed to the destruction of the environment as a result of the environment problems such as deforestation. The study recommend that the government should restore back fully the powers of the traditional leaders in the environment protection to save the world from further damage.