Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
GOVERNMENT has assured communities around Lake Gwayi-Shangani that they will be given priority when relocation of affected people begins.
Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka told Chronicle that Government experts are on the ground assessing the situation and a report will be presented to guide the way forward.
Lake Gwayi-Shangani is on the confluence of Gwayi and Shangani rivers with Lubimbi on the east, Mabale on the north-west and some Lupane villages on the south going to be affected.
Dr Masuka assured the affected communities that they will benefit from the dam in the Second Republic’s spirit of leaving no one and no place behind.
He said he will be leading an inter-ministerial delegation to Hwange this week where the issue of relocation will also be on the agenda.
“I will be leading a ministerial committee to the site and as we speak, officers are already on the ground to be able to present a report after which we will be able to make an announcement on the issue of affected communities,” said Dr Masuka.
The ministerial team included Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga who is Health and Child Care Minister and a number of Cabinet Ministers.
Dr Masuka said communities affected by Lake Gwayi-Shangani will be the biggest beneficiaries of the dam as they will be given priority on the land that will be identified for irrigation along the greenbelt. “What we can say is that no one and no household will be left behind. No one will be displaced but we will re-arrange communities so they benefit maximally.
“Where we have identified irrigation land and where pipes will pass through, people will be re-arranged there. We anticipate 1 800ha made up of Vision 2030 accelerator model being 200ha in each district will be identified for communities and those affected by the dam will be the first to benefit,” said Dr Masuka.
He said rural development is critical.
Progress at Lake Gwayi-Shangani is at about 70 percent and the project is set to be completed next month.
It is expected to permanently solve Bulawayo’s perennial water supply problems and transform the entire Matabeleland North into a greenbelt.
There will be economic activities such as fishing, power generation, recreation, irrigation and among others and Lubimbi villagers, however, feel their relocation should be speeded up before the rains start so that they don’t lose out.
Mr Tongayi Ncube, a member of the Lubimbi community relocation committee said it will be the fourth relocation for some of them after having been displaced from Madilo area between Shangani and Kana rivers in 1945 to pave way for the Cold Storage Commission farm.
They were also moved from Sinamatela area around the 1950s to pave way for establishment of Hwange National Park and construction of the Kariba Dam and settled in Lubimbi.
“We are glad that after limited progress on the dam construction by successive governments the Second Republic has, in a few years, made tremendous progress with completion set for this year,” said Mr Ncube. – @ncubeleon
Online Reporter