VILLAGERS in Lubimbi, Binga district in Matabelaland North province, are calling on the government to resettle them permanently in Nakanono, their ancestral home, saying repeated relocations have caused distress as Gwayi-Shangani Dam nears completion.
The villagers are facing ongoing uncertainty as they await relocation to make way for the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, with more than 500 families in limbo due to delayed government plans and lack of communication regarding compensation.
The dam’s completion threatens to submerge homes, the Lubimbi 2 Primary School, a local dip tank, and dozens of boreholes.
The Venda/Mbedzi clan in Lubimbi has a nomadic history, having been previously relocated in 1945 from the Madilo area to make space for the Cold Storage Commission.
Villagers are demanding clarity on compensation, grazing land, and irrigation infrastructure, insisting they remain in Binga.
Human rights groups have had to intervene to force the Local Government ministry to release relocation plans, but the situation remains unresolved amid bureaucratic delays, disputes over alternative land, and a severe local water crisis.
Keep Reading
- Binga villagers dig in over relocations
- Ukraine War: Biden accuses Russian troops of committing genocide in Ukraine
- Concerns grow over fate of Binga villagers
- Villagers’ relocation to cost US$2m
However, according to the villagers, Nakanono remains their preferred resettlement area because it holds their heritage and resources.
A Chiboni Area resident and dam committee member, who asked not to be named, told Southern Eye that the community is still holding the government to its word.
“We hope that the government will keep its promise for us to return to our ancestral homeland, the Nakanono area,” the resident said.
She said their ancestors were buried in Nakanono before they were moved for the CSC project, adding that constant moves have left families unsettled and are demanding a final home.
“We are in pain because we are always being moved back and forth . . . we are asking that the government makes this our permanent residence because we are tired of being relocated,” the villagers said.
They added that Nakanono would also be practical because residents “will also benefit from the water” instead of being taken “kilometres away from such resources”.
On planning, the committee member said engagement stalled months ago.
“We were last engaged on sometime in April. We are waiting for our councillor to bring the master plan in Binga,” the resident said.
With the dam “now nearly completed” but no clear relocation site, the resident said the fact that nothing has been done… is giving them goose bumps.
Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Richard Moyo confirmed delays, blaming the stalling lack of funding.
“It is true that nothing has been done so far, why because we have also been waiting for funds from the rightful ministry,” Moyo said.
He added that the government is “waiting for resources so that the area can be serviced, we open roads and drainage systems awaiting resettlement”.
On costs, Moyo said figures are not yet final.
“I am not sure of the estimated budget because it will be processed by the treasury through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development,” he said.
Lubimbi villagers have been facing relocation for the Gwayi-Shangani Dam and they are saying they were shown only “a lot of trees” at the proposed site with no houses, roads, or grave relocation plan, as fears grow that the dam could be completed this year before they are moved.
Edit with improved grammar, punctuation, syntax, style and flow, while retaining the original facts and quotations.