via Second Tokwe-Mukosi victims’ relocation begins | The Herald November 12, 2015
Government has started the second relocation of Tokwe-Mukosi flood victims with over 1 000 families set to be moved in the next two weeks from Nuanetsi Ranch in Mwenezi to alternative bigger plots that were identified for permanent resettlement.
The move follows a recent visit to the Nuanetsi Ranch by a Cabinet committee led by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, which ordered that the flood victims be moved to bigger plots.
This was after the flood victims had complained that their 0,5 hectare plots at Nuanetsi Ranch were too small to carry out meaningful farming activities as the area was condemned as unfit for human habitation owing to extreme aridity and disease prevalence.
Government identified seven farms in Mwenezi and Chiredzi districts to resettle all the 3 000 families who had initially been allocated plots at Nuanetsi Ranch.
Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Shuvai Mahofa yesterday confirmed that an initial 1 000 families were being moved from Nuanetsi Ranch. She said the exercise would be completed in the next two weeks with more families expected to be relocated next year.
“We have started relocating the first group of about 1 000 Tokwe-Mukosi families who are being moved from Nuanetsi Ranch to farms that have been pegged for them in Mwenezi and Chiredzi. We hope to complete this exercise in the next two weeks because we want them to have adequate time to prepare for the rainy season,’’ she said.
“The exercise was delayed because our officials were still compiling the list of the first group of families, who wanted to be moved after we gave them the option to choose where they wanted to be resettled. We were not forcing anyone to go where they did not want to,’’ she added.
Senator Mahofa downplayed fears that the families being relocated from Nuanetsi Ranch would struggle to access critical services such as schools and hospitals in the new areas.
“We made sure that the farms where the first batch of families are being moved already have facilities such as schools and clinics because we do not want people to suffer,’’ added Senator Mahofa.
Each of the families being relocated will be allocated 20 hectares compared to the small plots they had at Nuanetsi Ranch.
About 300 families will be resettled at Masangula Ranch where Government is clearing land that will be developed for irrigation upon completion of Tokwe-Mukosi Dam. Others are being resettled in the Mutirikwi Section of the Nuanetsi Ranch which is close to the perennially flowing Mutirikwi River.
Tokwe-Mukosi flood victims were resettled at Nuanetsi Ranch after their removal from Chingwizi transit camp as fears mounted of diseases outbreak because of overcrowding.
However, the families continued to rely on Government food assistance as they could not embark on any meaningful agricultural activities because of the small plot sizes and scanty rains.
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