Chewore Lodge And Campsite Closes Following Long-Running Lease Battle

The owners of the iconic Chewore Lodge and Campsite have announced the closure of the Zambezi Valley property and confirmed they are relocating to a new site in the Mana Pools Wilderness, ending a protracted 15-year legal battle with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks).

In a statement posted on their Facebook page on Monday, 3 August, former owners Terry William Kelly and his family said: “Chewore Lodge and Campsite is now closed, as we are relocating to a new site in Mana Pools Wilderness — one of the most beautiful areas in Zimbabwe.”

“We’re just a month into the move, so the new camp doesn’t have a name yet, but our plan is a small, upmarket, well-maintained camp with secluded and private sites — some with river frontage, some tucked into forest. Details are still coming together, but it promises to be a truly unique experience.”

The Kelly family has invited past guests to join them in the next chapter, saying those who wish to be added to a provisional booking list for 2027 can leave their email addresses and will be contacted once bookings open.

Chewore Lodge and Campsite is situated at the confluence of the Chewore and Zambezi rivers, inside the Chewore North Safari Area, which together with Mana Pools National Park and Sapi Safari Area forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It has been run for about 15 years by the 73-year-old Kelly through his company Suscaden Investments, who is reported to have invested millions of dollars into its development.

The relocation follows a bruising courtroom saga over the validity of the lodge’s lease.

The dispute came to a head in March 2025 when the High Court ordered the closure of the lodge and evicted the operator.

Justice Tawanda Chitapi ruled that the 25-year lease agreement between ZimParks and Suscaden Investments was invalid from inception.

The court found the agreement did not have the concurrence of the parent ministry, as required by law, and that its 25-year duration exceeded the legally permissible 20-year limit.

The judge said ZimParks’ collection of rentals over the years did not legitimise the arrangement. Suscaden was given until 19 June 2025 to vacate.

Kelly appealed, but on 12 January 2026, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court decision and ruled that the 25-year lease was invalid.

The ruling found there was no proven ministerial approval despite a signature on the document, after Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri denied signing it.

In the judgment, Justice Chiweshe stated: “No amount of prior conduct can breathe life into an agreement that was void from the outset,” dismissing the fact that ZimParks had accepted rent for years.

At the centre of the case was ministerial approval and a competing claim. The courts also heard that Big Five Safari Lodges held a pre-existing lease over the entire Chewore North Safari Area.

At the time, the Kelly family described the judgment as a travesty and vowed at the time to take the fight to the Constitutional Court.

Following the Supreme Court ruling, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife said on 15 January 2026 it was working to facilitate “an amicable resolution” that complies with the law while protecting investment.

After months of negotiations brokered by government officials, including former Permanent Secretary Ambassador Tadeous Chifamba, the parties reached a settlement.

In a statement released on 19 July 2026, Kelly said he was extremely satisfied with the outcome brokered by the government after losing his Supreme Court appeal.

Under the agreement, ZimParks allocated the family a prime site in the east of Mana. In their latest update, the Kellys said they had already started moving.

“We have been fortunate to secure a beautiful new location where we can continue our vision and enjoy the next chapter of our lives,” Kelly said.

The closure of Chewore marks the end of an era for one of the most popular fishing and safari camps on the Zambezi, but the family says the new Mana Pools site will carry forward the same ethos of a small, personal and well-run bush camp.