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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
VILLAGERS in Lubimbi and Mabale communities surrounding Gwayi- Shangani Dam in Matabeleland North have said they are living in fear of potential floods in the coming rainy season as Government has not provided them with alternative land to relocate to.
China International Water and Electric Corporation is building the dam in partnership with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa). The contractor had targeted to finish the wall which should be 72 metres high by end of the year. The dam wall is now reportedly about 10 metres high.
About 400 households in Lubimbi, Binga ward 20 east of the dam and about 300 on the Mabale side, in Hwange district west of the dam will be displaced by dam construction. Those who spoke to Sunday News said they fear that if they do not relocate now, they may be affected by floods once the rains start due to the dam’s push back.
“We have been told that we will be moved but up to now we don’t know our destination. Government officials have visited us before and told us that some households fall within the push back of the dam hence the need to relocate, which we are not against because this is an important national project. As a community we are very much in support of the project but we are worried about lack of engagement from Government especially now that the dam wall is about 10 metres high and rains will be starting soon,” said a concerned villager.
Villagers have convened a series of meetings and formed a steering committee to engage Government.
“All we want is to know our fate as a community in terms of compensation, alternative land for our homes, fields, schools, clinics, dip tanks, roads and water sources, as all these need planning. As we speak some have not even built proper homes because they know they will be moved,” said another villager.
Lubimbi Ward 20 Councillor Chrispen Munkuli said the community is getting impatient.
“People don’t want to be moved but because this is a national project and for fear of floods, they are prepared to relocate to alternative land once that is availed. We have about 400 households that will be affected and all we want is to hear what plans are there.”
Chief Dingani-Nelukoba of Dete-Mabale area recently implored Government to urgently secure alternative land for the affected villagers to avoid last minute rush during disaster. Matabeleland North Provincial Minister Richard Moyo said no alternative land has been found so far.
“It’s true, we have to look for alternative land for them through the provincial lands committee and Hwange Rural District Council. We will engage them once a piece of land has been found,” he said.
Gwayi-Shangani dam total cost was initially $121 732 922,60 and 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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