Concerns over relocation of villagers to pave way for Gwayi-Shangani Dam
CHIEF Kavula of Lubimbi in Binga has implored Government to compensate the more than 400 households earmarked for relocation from his area to pave way for the GwayiShangani Dam.
Six villages namely Kamombo, Chubuyu, Kanjondo, Bumputu, Chiboni and Kavunikwa making up Lubimbi 1 and 2 will be affected by the dam whose construction is at 40 percent with the wall now at 10 metres out of the required 72 metres high.
The contractor China International Water and Electric Corporation, in partnership with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) had targeted to finish the wall by end of the year.
Villagers, including 300 more households on the Mabale side, in Hwange district west of the dam are concerned that there has been no formal communication from Government with regards to their destiny.
The villagers want Government to provide social amenities such as schools and clinics and also move them within the proximity of the dam to benefit from it. Chief Kavula led a delegation from his area to the dam site recently where they sought to have an appreciation of progress made so far.
“I don’t want anyone to be moved as that will divide my community. Unfortunately we can’t stop construction because this is a Government project but we are worried about where we are going. I have approached my colleagues Chiefs Pashu, Dobola, Siansali and Binga and they are also against this idea of relocation.
“This is one issue that will kill me. We are a law abiding community with Ubuntu which is why we are quiet but to imagine that we have been moved before from Kana Block without compensation and now about 7 000 people are set to be relocated, I don’t even know if they will be compensated,” said Chief Kavula.
He said his people were moved in the 1950s from where they used to be and relocated to Lubimbi. Lubimbi Ward 20 Councillor Chrispen Munkuli concurred saying Government should compensate people before relocation.
“Wherever people are taken to should be equally good and allow them to benefit from the dam. Our worry is that we are bordered by Hwange, Gokwe and Lupane districts with no land to move to nearby to the dam. We are worried because Government hasn’t said a word. We have been to the council and District Development Co-ordinator’s office and they haven’t been helpful. It will be unfair to move people again without any form of compensation hence we appeal to authorities to take this matter seriously as we don’t want to be taken by surprise,” said Clr Munkuli.
A village health worker from Chiboni Village Mrs Lucia Mupande said people should only be moved after water sources, schools and clinics have been built to avoid health disasters associated with relocation.
Siampongo 1 village head Mr Fada Mupande said Lubimbi is a self-reliant farming community hence the new area should have good soils and water.
Speaking in Lusulu last weekend, VicePresident Kembo Mohadi said Government was aware of the generational plight of Binga people.
“We are with you all the time. We know you are concerned that you have been moved from the river and told that the river will follow you, and all we want to do is make sure you get what you want. The Tonga community is the oldest in this country hence we should look after you,” said VP Mohadi.
Gwayi-Shangani Dam is viewed as the panacea for water challenges in Bulawayo and the Matabeleland region. It will benefit communities through provision of water for consumption and irrigation and creation of a greenbelt between the Zambezi and Bulawayo. A pipeline will connect from Zambezi River via the dam to Cowdray Park water works in Bulawayo with multiple outlets along the way where various projects will be carried out to create a greenbelt.
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