THE much-awaited $50 million cement manufacturing plant in Charumbira communal lands, 20km south west of Masvingo, is reportedly hanging in the balance, as the Chinese investor courted for the project is yet to submit feasibility studies.
BY REGIS CHINGAWO
Speaking to NewsDay yesterday, provincial administrator Felix Chikovo said the government was still waiting for a report to determine feasibility of the project.
“The point of entry before any mining commences or any people are resettled is based on a report from the Chinese investor,” he said.
“We are still waiting for an evaluation report that includes the number of jobs to be created and the viability of the project and this has not been carried out and we are yet to have feedback from the investor.”
Sino-Zimbabwe in 2011 expressed interest in setting up a cement plant in Masvingo in exchange for rehabilitating Masvingo city’s water facilities.
The proposal has, however, met fierce resistance from more than 200 families, who face eviction to pave way for the cement plant.
Environmentalists have also opposed the project, arguing blasting for limestone deposits would affect the Mutirikwi Dam wall.
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Meanwhile, some villagers set to be affected by the project, told NewsDay that some top army officials recently visited the area and assured them government had identified alternative land to resettle them, before it turned out to be a hoax.
“We asked the officials if they had secured land for us to be resettled and they said this was being worked out by the provincial lands committee. When we visited the lands offices, we were told that the issue of resettling us was never discussed. We fear that we might end up like Chingwizi settlers,” a villager, who declined to be named out of fear, said.
