adminGeorge Maponga Masvingo Bureau Chief
The Tokwe-Mukosi relocation co-ordinating committee yesterday said the 2 513 families in the flood basin will be evacuated in the next two weeks following an increase in the number of trucks involved in the operation. There are now over 50 trucks that are moving an average of 120 families per day from the flood basin and three transit camps to Chingwizi in the Nuanetsi ranch. The development comes as Government has deployed a team of experts to draw a temporary land use plan that would be used to resettle the families at Chingwizi.
Chairperson of the relocation co-ordinating committee and Masvingo provincial administrator Mr Felix Chikovo said Government was going to build houses for the relocated families.
But he said the main priority was to make sure the families at Chingwizi also benefited through irrigation using Tokwe-Mukosi dam water. “Experts are already busy on the ground drawing a temporary land use plan that will demarcate where each family will build its temporary structures and work on the permanent land use plan will also start in the near future,” he said.
“A team of engineers is also on the ground working on the best way to draw water for irrigation near the confluence of Runde and Tokwe rivers, these families should be the first to benefit from Tokwe-Mukosi dam water.’’
Mr Chikovo said the Civil Protection Unit managed to set up a fully-stocked clinic at Chingwizi to cater for the health delivery needs of the relocated families. Over 600 families have so far been evacuated from the Tokwe-Mukosi flood basin to Chingwizi where Government intends to develop irrigation plots.
Donations in the form of food, clothing, medicine and tents have been pouring in to assist the families after President Mugabe declared the flooding in the Tokwe-Mukosi basin and downstream areas a state-of-disaster.
Initially, the relocation exercise was hampered by shortage of trucks and inaccessibility in some parts of the basin owing to incessant rains that were pounding area.
Online Reporter