Secret deals divide Manhize villagers

The relocation dispute surrounding the Dinson Iron and Steel Company (Disco) Manhize project has intensified divisions in Mushenjere village, with residents demanding greater transparency over compensation and accusing traditional leaders of siding with the mining company.

The latest tensions centre on alleged disparities in compensation between traditional leaders and ordinary villagers, as well as delays in the payment of US$200 monthly relocation stipends to affected families.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), which investigated complaints from villagers affected by the relocation, confirmed to NewsDay that residents had raised concerns over the adequacy of the compensation they received.

The dispute adds to growing scrutiny of the US$1.5 billion Manhize steel project, which has displaced families from ancestral agricultural land as Government promotes the investment as a major industrialisation initiative.

Women and youth groups in Mushenjere have accused Disco of employing what they describe as a "divide-and-rule" strategy to weaken community resistance and pressure residents into accepting compensation packages they consider inadequate.

Local youth Phillip Muzerenge accused traditional leaders of failing to adequately represent the interests of villagers.

"We are seeing a disturbing trend where our traditional leaders, who are supposed to defend our rights, have suddenly turned into spokespersons for the mining company," he said.

"They are receiving far more money and better promises than the rest of the villagers."

A mother of four, who declined to be named, alleged that some traditional leaders received as much as US$27,000, while some ordinary homesteads were valued at approximately US$6,000.

The allegations could not be independently verified.

Anna Munyoro said the dispute had severely damaged relations between residents and traditional leaders.

"We used to rely on our traditional leaders for all our grievances. Today, they sit in meetings with the company and tell us to accept whatever little is offered. It has caused massive disunity," she said.

Tadiwa Shenje said villagers expected traditional leaders to defend their interests.

"We want our traditional leaders to fight for our rights because we have been trusting them, but now they are letting us down because of love for money," he said.

Village head Nyadzo declined to disclose the compensation received by traditional leaders or the amounts paid to ordinary villagers.

He confirmed, however, that some residents had at one point gone for about three months without receiving their US$200 monthly relocation stipends.

According to Nyadzo, meetings had subsequently been held with mine officials to discuss the outstanding payments and a possible payment plan.

"We are meeting the mine officials to discuss the issue of the delayed payments," he said.

Disco spokesperson Wilfred Motsi, however, disputed the claim that residents had gone three months without receiving their stipends.

"That is a lie," Motsi said. "They have been receiving the stipends every month. That is not true. There was a time that we skipped, but later we resumed. It was an issue to do with our financial problems. We are going to pay them this month."

Affected villagers are now calling for an end to what they describe as secretive negotiations, proposing instead a broader process involving independent land evaluators, Government officials, civil society organisations and representatives elected by the affected communities.

They argue that such a process would help resolve disputes over property valuations, compensation and relocation commitments.

The situation has also raised concerns among civil society organisations over the impact of displacement on women, particularly those whose livelihoods depend heavily on agriculture.

ActionAid Zimbabwe country director Selina Pasirayi said displaced women should be treated as rights-holders rather than simply as recipients of compensation.

"ActionAid can support women to organise, document their losses and participate meaningfully in compensation, relocation and livelihood-restoration decisions," she said.

Pasirayi said civil society organisations could also provide legal awareness, referral services and grievance support where compensation was inadequate or relocation commitments had not been fulfilled.

"The overall objective should be to restore women's economic independence and ensure that displacement does not leave them more exposed to poverty, food insecurity and future climate shocks," she said.

The continuing dispute is likely to increase pressure on Disco and the Government to demonstrate that communities affected by the Manhize project are being fairly compensated, adequately consulted and meaningfully involved in decisions affecting their livelihoods and relocation.