100 families face eviction

More than 100 families in Masanga village, Mwenezi district, Masvingo province, are facing eviction to accommodate Zambezi, a government-backed farming company. Officials recently visited the village in Ward 13 to serve eviction notices, instructing residents to vacate their homes.

"This is a blatant disregard for human rights," said villager Netsai Nyoni. "We were forced to sign forms without reading them. Before the elections, we met with the district development coordinator and a representative from the Lands Ministry, who warned us to vote wisely because we would be evicted after the elections."

Reports indicate that police are pressuring villagers to leave the land to make way for the company. The affected communities include Masangula, Mugwadi, Dzavamupapa, Vhivhi, Vhelemu, Chindi, and Chapanga.

"We have lived here for more than 20 years; where will we go?" asked one villager who wished to remain anonymous. "They say they are temporarily moving us, but that's just a cover until they figure out what to do. This is wrong; the government is corrupt."

Villagers claim they were not consulted and are uncertain about receiving adequate compensation. "Development should not come at the cost of our livelihoods," added Tendai Chihoro. "The councillor, Zacharia Ndavani, was taken by police and has no say on the issue. The Member of Parliament, Sheillah Chikomo, is colluding with the government to evict us. The investor has never held a meeting with us."

Ndavani confirmed the ongoing evictions, stating, "There is a programme in Mwenezi East to evict people in Masangula village along the Runde River. Nine investors have been granted licenses by the government, and Mr. Mupereri from Zambezi Company is leading the evictions." He advised contacting the district development coordinator and Lands Ministry officials for further clarification.

Chief Chitanga, born Feleni Chauke, claimed he was unaware of the villagers' issues, stating, "I do not know about that; it has never been reported to my office. Tell those people to come and report it."

Provincial Affairs Minister Ezra Chadzamira stated that his office would investigate the matter. "The issues have not been reported to my office, but we will look into it. Forced eviction is not acceptable in this country, and I do not think the government would do such a thing."

Local pressure group Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (Cotrad) condemned the eviction plans, urging adherence to Section 74 of the Zimbabwean constitution, which guarantees freedom from arbitrary eviction. The organization emphasized that no individual should be evicted from their home without a court order.

Cotrad asserted that the situation in Mwenezi is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling trend of forced evictions in Zimbabwe, often resulting in widespread displacement. They called on the international community to support the people of Masangula, urging the government to halt the evictions immediately, provide proper consultation and compensation to affected families, and uphold human rights in all development initiatives.