Source: Lubimbi villagers in limbo over relocation – The Southern Eye
HUMAN rights lobby group, Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights (MIHR), has accused the government of ignoring a plea by Lubimbi villagers in Binga to release information on their relocation plan.
The villagers recently petitioned the government to release information about plans to relocate them from the area to pave way for the construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam.
The government had since announced that the villagers would be relocated to an alternative area and will assist them in constructing houses.
MIHR director Khumbulani Maphosa yesterday told Southern Eye that the government decided to ignore the appeal adding that the affected families’ future is uncertain.
“The local government decided not to respond to the plea entirely up to today. They made no efforts to get back to us. We then as a human rights group decided to engage the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) again who in turn engaged the Local Government, but failed to get a response,” Maphosa said.
“ZMC advised us to sue the Local Government ministry, but due to inadequate resources we have stopped pursuing the case. If only we had the resources we would have done that long back because that could be the only way we could get answers.”
ZMC last year ordered the Local Government ministry to release information which was requested by the MIHR on the relocation plan for Lubimbi villagers in Binga.
About 502 families in Lubimbi are set to be displaced to pave way for construction of the dam which was expected to be completed by December last year.
ZMC executive secretary Godwin Phiri said they made that order as enshrined in the Freedom of Information Act, which stipulates that any information requested must be issued within 48 hours of request.
Phiri said any institution that has information that is meant for the public should desist from withholding as the Constitution dictates that information has been requested should be released.
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