Chronicle Editor
Tawanda Mangoma in CHIREDZI
The Masvingo Provincial Lands Committee has distanced itself from the proposed relocation of over 15 000 households who occupied plots on the southern part of Save Valley Conservancy during the Land Reform Programme. Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), which is planning to re-establish a boundary fence in the conservancy, is behind the relocations.
Zimparks secured a $20 million grant from the European Union to erect the fence and other projects. Villagers in areas such as Masapasi, Chegwite and Lavanga are resisting relocation. Masvingo provincial administrator Mr Fungai Mbetsa yesterday distanced his office from the relocation programme, saying it was undertaken without his knowledge.
“The deliberations or the process of head count is not known to the province,” he said. “I think we need to sit down, the whole Provincial Lands Committee and the Chiredzi District Lands Committee so that we come up with one concrete resolution.” Mr Mbetsa, who chairs the Provincial Lands Committee, said the conservancy covered multiple districts in the province, hence the need for an input from all interested parties. Save Valley does not only cover Chiredzi, it starts in Bikita,” he said.
“We should look at this whole programme holistically, rather than looking at only one area.”Stray animals are causing problems even in Bikita. So, we want to solve the whole problem once and for all. If Chiredzi has boundary problems, why then are they not fencing areas in Bikita were everyone is prepared for the fence?
“I just don’t know why they are starting to concentrate in a contested area rather than starting in areas with no disputes.”
Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said the authority was not engaged in identifying villagers to be moved. He said the authority was mainly concerned with rising cases of human and wildlife conflict across the Save Valley Conservancy.
“I am not aware about the alleged head count, but we have a team of ecologists who are on the ground trying to redraw boundaries around Save Valley Conservancy,” he said. We need to know where communities start and where the conservancy ends. Our main goal is to reduce human and wildlife conflict, that is why we are working flat out.” Mr Farawo said the process required research before the actual fencing.
The Chiredzi District Lands Committee was on Monday this week forced to convene a meeting to find a solution to the impasse. The committee had proposed to issue temporary certificates to villagers staying within the conservancy.
The meeting reportedly failed to reach a conclusion, as some Government departments questioned why the province seemed reluctant to solve the issue.
Online Reporter