via Angry Tokwe-Mukosi villagers riot 21/04/2014 NewZimbabwe
POLICE have been deployed to quell potential unrest among disgruntled former Tokwe-Mukosi villagers currently camped at Chingwizi transit camp in Mwenezi.
It has emerged that patience has finally run out on some beleaguered villagers who are reportedly destroying tents belonging to fellow villagers for betrayal after they agreed to be redeployed in new plots in Nuenetsi area without compensation.
The villagers, who have been living in insecure tent accommodation since their homes, crops and property were washed away by massive flooding in February this year, want government to compensate them for being made to leave their homes of decades.
The villagers are alive to the demanding costs of building new home in completely new territory with nothing to use for a start.
NewZimbabwe.com reported last week that the villagers were demanding a total of nearly 10 millions dollars for all the affected 3 000 families.
The villagers told local government Ministers Ignatius Chombo and his delegation last week they will stay put at the camps where they were being given food handouts by NGOs.
This prompted Chombo to threaten to block the NGOs from donating the food.
Government is trying to avert a potential health disaster in the crowded area.
But some militant villagers have vowed to challenge government for its omissions.
Some of the villagers, although willing to move to new land, have opted to prolong their stay in the camp fearing attack from gangs agitated by their agreeing to leave without any compensation.
“While we might have no problem with going to the new plots to build our homes, we fear criminal gangs from this camp who are opposed to resettlement without compensation. The gangs are violent and attack at night,’’ one unidentified villager told the Herald.
Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti has confirmed the chaos at Chingwizi which has reportedly culminated into looting orgies.
Bhasikiti blamed the unrest on opponents of the programme to resettle the flood victims sponsoring rogue elements to disrupt peace at the holding camp.
“We have details of some individuals who are sponsoring some rogue elements to cause unrest at Chingwizi and its true police had to be called to disperse some of the families after they tried to loot food in an attempt to cause mayhem recently.”
President Mugabe’s regime two weeks ago barred former Prime Minister and opposition MDC—T leader from visiting the villagers fearing he would stir up simmering emotions among the villagers.
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