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Fresh displacement looms under Tugwi-Mukosi development plan
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A new wave of forced displacements is set to strike Chivi and Masvingo Rural districts, with over 17,000 people-estimated to be from 3,652 households-expected to be relocated under the Government's Tugwi-Mukosi Dam Development Masterplan.
The plan, prepared by Zimbabwe's four state universities-University of Zimbabwe, Midlands State University, National University of Science and Technology, and Great Zimbabwe University-was released in May this year. It outlines a wide-ranging development programme centred around Zimbabwe's largest inland water body, the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam, but raises painful memories for local residents still haunted by the last mass relocation in 2014.
That year, close to 18,000 people were displaced when the dam first filled up, flooding villages in its basin. The government's poorly executed relocation programme saw affected families dumped in remote, inhospitable parts of Nuanetsi Ranch without basic amenities. Human rights groups described the conditions in the makeshift transit camps as inhuman, with many families suffering from water shortages, food insecurity, and a lack of healthcare or education services.
While compensation for destroyed homes and infrastructure was promised, most of the affected never received it. Only a fraction of the promised funds-reportedly US$3.5 million-was disbursed, and some of the displaced have since died without ever receiving compensation.
With the masterplan now proposing another round of displacements, fears are mounting that history will repeat itself.
"The money for compensation is said to be available, but for people in Chivi and Masvingo, that's a broken record," said one local resident, who asked not to be named. "We've heard these promises before."
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, which will oversee the implementation of the plan, declined to offer specific assurances. Spokesperson Gabriel Masvora said the ministry would only comment after the plan is officially adopted.
"It has not yet been adopted and I would not want to pre-empt what will come out. We will be able to comment when they are done and implementing," said Masvora.
Tugwi-Mukosi Community Development Association president Tafirei Mashavakure called for inclusive development and justice for those facing relocation.
"We are pro-development, but we expect the affected households to get good compensation and to be considered part and parcel of the development processes," he said. "They should be settled where they can easily access basic services like healthcare, schools, and water."
The newly identified areas set for displacement include Wards 22, 24, 28, and 31 in Chivi District and Wards 22, 30, and 34 in Masvingo Rural.
As Zimbabwe looks to harness Tugwi-Mukosi's vast potential for irrigation, tourism, and hydro-power, critics warn that sustainable development must not come at the cost of human dignity. For thousands of families once again facing the trauma of forced relocation, trust in the system remains fragile-and expectations for fair treatment, long overdue.
The plan, prepared by Zimbabwe's four state universities-University of Zimbabwe, Midlands State University, National University of Science and Technology, and Great Zimbabwe University-was released in May this year. It outlines a wide-ranging development programme centred around Zimbabwe's largest inland water body, the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam, but raises painful memories for local residents still haunted by the last mass relocation in 2014.
That year, close to 18,000 people were displaced when the dam first filled up, flooding villages in its basin. The government's poorly executed relocation programme saw affected families dumped in remote, inhospitable parts of Nuanetsi Ranch without basic amenities. Human rights groups described the conditions in the makeshift transit camps as inhuman, with many families suffering from water shortages, food insecurity, and a lack of healthcare or education services.
While compensation for destroyed homes and infrastructure was promised, most of the affected never received it. Only a fraction of the promised funds-reportedly US$3.5 million-was disbursed, and some of the displaced have since died without ever receiving compensation.
With the masterplan now proposing another round of displacements, fears are mounting that history will repeat itself.
"The money for compensation is said to be available, but for people in Chivi and Masvingo, that's a broken record," said one local resident, who asked not to be named. "We've heard these promises before."
"It has not yet been adopted and I would not want to pre-empt what will come out. We will be able to comment when they are done and implementing," said Masvora.
Tugwi-Mukosi Community Development Association president Tafirei Mashavakure called for inclusive development and justice for those facing relocation.
"We are pro-development, but we expect the affected households to get good compensation and to be considered part and parcel of the development processes," he said. "They should be settled where they can easily access basic services like healthcare, schools, and water."
The newly identified areas set for displacement include Wards 22, 24, 28, and 31 in Chivi District and Wards 22, 30, and 34 in Masvingo Rural.
As Zimbabwe looks to harness Tugwi-Mukosi's vast potential for irrigation, tourism, and hydro-power, critics warn that sustainable development must not come at the cost of human dignity. For thousands of families once again facing the trauma of forced relocation, trust in the system remains fragile-and expectations for fair treatment, long overdue.
Source - Mirror
