Innocent Hamandishe, from Mugabe's Zanu-PF party said:
“We are going to ensure that the wonder of Zimbabwe celebrates his 91st birthday where one of the wonders of the world is,”
Animal Defenders International President Jan Creamer said
"To plan the slaughter of endangered species like this does not accord honour to any individual or nation, in fact it, quite rightly, it brings only shame and embarrassment. There is no dignity in such a demonstration of self-indulgent lack of care and brutality"Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, described the plan as “totally unethical.”
“I am totally disgusted by the news,“We claim to have the best conservationist policies in the world, but our president does not set a good example. How can he talk of anti-poaching when he is allowing this to happen?”