GOVERNMENT says it has identified the land to construct houses for the Lubimbi villagers who will be relocated from the Gwayi-Shangani dam catchment area.
In an interview with Southern Eye this week Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Richard Moyo, however said funding is not yet available for the programme.
“We identified the place, now we are left with drilling boreholes, constructing houses and schools, among other things. The budget for all these projects was sent to Treasury and now we are waiting for the funds to be released,” Moyo said.
The funds are expected to be released during the first quarter of this year. In the meantime, villagers will remain in their present location until their new homes have been constructed in Binga district’s the Lusulu area, the minister indicated.
“The villagers are still in their homesteads, they haven’t been moved. They will do it when we are done with building of houses because we are expecting to commission the dam during the first and second quarter of the year,” he said.
He said civil work had already commenced at the site where the villagers will be relocated.
As of last year, government had estimated that US$2 million was needed for the relocation project and compensation for the affected villagers, Moyo added.
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