Private companies drawing water from Kalope Dam condemned

Communities in Hwange have raised serious concerns over mining companies extracting water from Kalope Dam, warning that the practice threatens to cause severe water shortages for locals who rely on the dam for irrigation and daily use.

Speaking out against the practice, Hwange East legislator Joseph Bonda said it was illegal for private companies to draw water from a community-owned source. He urged the companies to follow the example of others in the area and source their water from the Zambezi River instead.

"The President of the Second Republic is a listening President, and if you see any traditional leader soiling his name over Kalope Dam, we should expose them. Raise the red flag and let the world know that criminals are messing up in Change Lukosi ward," Bonda said.

He added that such actions were not only detrimental to local communities but also threatened wetlands at Kasibo and contributed to the pollution of the Deka River. Bonda called on communities to resist activities that undermine President Mnangagwa's Vision 2030 and work to preserve vital resources.

According to a recent report by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), community leaders in Diki village have already taken steps to address what they described as a growing crisis at Kalope Dam, the primary water source for the Lukosi Irrigation Scheme.

The report revealed that four streams feeding into the dam had been diverted by two Chinese mining companies operating in the area. Specifically, South Mining's Mutargech division and Zimbabwe Zhongjing Heli Energy (Pvt) Ltd were cited as having drilled eleven boreholes and constructed a pipeline diverting water directly to their mining sites.

"This has resulted in severe water scarcity, threatening the livelihoods of 282 families who depend on the irrigation scheme," CNRG noted. "As the fate of the Lukosi Irrigation Scheme and the livelihoods of hundreds of families hang in the balance, community leaders have taken immediate action to prevent its collapse, working alongside a local civil society advocacy organisation."

The Lukosi Irrigation Scheme plays a vital role in the local economy. According to irrigation management executives, the scheme produced 30 tonnes of wheat last season and benefits more than 5 000 people.

The report also highlighted growing fears among locals about the environmental consequences of diverting water from the dam, including the destruction of aquatic ecosystems and disruption of natural water flow patterns.

Village head Peter Mpala confirmed that efforts to engage with the mining companies had so far yielded no progress. He appealed to authorities for urgent intervention to unblock the streams and halt the construction of water diversion infrastructure.

"We are appealing to relevant authorities to unblock the streams to allow water to flow into Kalope Dam and halt construction of the pipeline diverting water to the mine site. Our engagement with the mining companies has not been fruitful," Mpala said.

He further indicated that he was working closely with the affected communities, and a team had already visited the sites of the blocked tributaries to assess the situation and seek urgent solutions.

Ndaizivei Garura from CNRG stressed the need for an on-site assessment to inform possible solutions to a crisis that threatens the sustainability of the community's irrigation scheme and livelihoods.

The dispute highlights growing tensions between resource-hungry mining operations and rural communities, who accuse some companies of prioritising profits at the expense of local livelihoods and environmental sustainability.