By Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Over 1 000 families who were set to be evicted from Chilonga Communal lands to pave way for the Kwekwe based company, Dendairy’s multi-million dollar lucerne project on their 13 000 hectares of land will nolonger be evicted but reorganized and incorporated into the new scheme, it has been learnt.
The matter came out in parliament recently after Chiredzi Central Member of Parliament, Ropafadzo Makumire asked the minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka on the measures being taken by the government to support the victims with alternative.
In his response, Dr Masuka highlighted that the government had come up with a new model of reorganization rather than relocation in order to accommodate the communities in the existing model.
“The proposed farm development plan shows that instead of relocation, there will be reorganization. The existing homestead will be incorporated in the new scheme and the current Chilonga Irrigation will be expanded to cater for some of the villagers whose fields are going to be affected by the Lucerne project,” said Masuka.
Dr Masuka said that a new irrigation block will be developed along the river to cater for the affected villagers.
“A new irrigation block is going to be developed along Runde River on the eastern side of the project. This again will be for the villagers affected by the lucerne project. The villagers will be free to grow crops of their choice or to grow lucerne as out-growers. In short, there are plans for coexistence and not relocation of the Chilonga community,” said Masuka.
Government enacted the Statutory Instrument 50 of 2021 (Communal Land Setting aside of land (Chiredzi, notice 2021,) where the Minister of Local Government, July Moyo said villagers occupying the land should start packing their belongings in order to pave way for the grass project.
“Any person occupying or using the land specified in the schedule, otherwise than by virtue of a right held in terms of the Mines and Minerals Act (Chapter 21, 05), is ordered to depart permanently with all of his or her property from the said land by the date of publication of this notice, unless he or she acquires rights in terms of section (9) (1) of the Communal Land Act (Chapter (20, 04),” reads the notice.
In Statutory Instrument 51 of 2021 under the Communal Land (Excision of Land) (Notice 2021), President Mnangagwa ruled that the 13k ha had ceased from being part of Chiredzi Communal Lands.
“His Excellence, in terms of section 61 (1) (b) of the communal Land Act (Chapter 20:04), hereby makes the following notice:-This notice might be cited as the communal land (Excision Land) Notice, 2021.
“The area of land described hereunder in terms of the schedule shall cease to be part of the Chiredzi Communal Land,” reads the notice.
Dendairy, a private milk producer, is the major investor of the project targeting around 10 000 hectares of arable land for the lucerne production project meant for local and international markets.
The company was allocated some 12 940 hectares in the Sengwe communal lands for its multi-million dollar lucerne project, which was met with hostilities by villagers whose land was to be occupied and families displaced to pave way for the project.
Chingwizi Villagers who were relocated from Tugwi-Mukosi, paving way for the expansion of the dam after it had flooded in February 2014 are yet to get proper land houses, ten years after the disaster, a fear which had grappled Chilonga villagers.
