via Ministers see hell – Southern Eye 11 May 2014 by Tatenda Chitagu
TEN ministers were left embarrassed yesterday after flood victims at Mwenezi’s Chingwizi camp refused to listen to them as they demanded compensation for their relocation from the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam basin.
The meeting had to end prematurely after the villagers heckled and booed the ministers each time they took to the podium.
A heavy police presence could not deter the angry villagers who also refused to chant Zanu PF slogans.
The delegation led by Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo had Jonathan Moyo (Information), Joseph Made (Agriculture), Douglas Mombeshora (Lands), Dzikamai Mavhaire (Energy), Patrick Chinamasa (Finance), Saviour Kasukuwere (Environment), David Parirenyatwa (Health), Kembo Mohadi (Home Affairs) and Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (Provincial Affairs).
The ministers were at Chingwizi to try and convince the villagers to move out of the camp to one-hectare plots they are being allocated.
Villagers are demanding monetary compensation and four-hectare plots before they could relocate.
The government fears an outbreak of diseases due to overcrowding and poor hygiene as well as water shortages at the camp.
Mombeshora was the first to receive the villagers’ wrath when he said they would be allocated one hectare per family.
The minister was forced to cut short his speech and sat down after the villagers heckled him and drowned his voice.
Mavhaire tried to intervene, but he was also interupted by the villagers who said they wanted money first.
Chombo who chairs the Cabinet committee on Tokwe-Mukosi was also booed and invited Bhasikiti to speak.
But the villagers said they did not want him to address them either.
Other ministers who were supposed to speak could not do so as Chombo was forced to end the meeting.
Mike Mudyanembwa, the spokesperson for the villagers said they had sufferd for too long, hence yesterday’s protest.
He also accused the government of changing goalposts on the issue of compensation.
“We have survived here since February under such pathetic conditions.
“It’s a matter of life and death,” he said. “The government is now shifting goalposts on land where we are to be moved.
“We also demand food and our compensation.”
Chinamasa said the government is aware that it owes the villagers money and it would be released as soon as it became available.
The villagers sang in protest as the ministers left and tried to block their kombi, but were restrained by the police.
More than 3 000 families displaced by flooding in the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam basin in Masvingo Province have spent more than three months living in crowded, unsanitary conditions at the temporary camp. The majority of the villagers are from Chivi.
COMMENTS
Nuff respect to the brethren for having voice to demand what is just even with the scare machinery in attendance. And even when they came in numbers. Would Chombo want a one hectare plot? With all the land he has looted he has the audacity to offer only that? Big up!
My sympathy to the fellow Zimbos. I support your bold stance in unity. Why did they take so long to respond?
GOOD tactics from the villagers, never give them an ear, just demand whats due . Zanu will have to ask Mbeki for mediation .
At least the big fish have the audacity to feel embarassed.i would have thought that a normal person should feel ashamed and touched by such a scene.i would also expect that such a person shd hav brought a lot of food,blanket,meds etc after the fund raising by every mp in that person s party.but no just pomp n embarrassment,bakithi .,are these really children of mambo,mzilikazi nehanda?please show just 10% of care by giving 3% of your combined salaries not cry to china for a change.where is their ubuntu?crying for slogans hungry,sick ,displaced,depressed fellow zimbabweans.even smith would feel ashamed.
One only wishes more & Zimboz may start growing balls and stand up Zanu pf oppressive clique, in its totality and demand their power & freedom back.
Honestly, why should a Zimbabwean family be allocated 1ha of land when the likes of Chombo, Mugabe, Grace & Basikiti have several farms (amount to hundred of thousands of ha) which they didn’t pay a single cent for.
The only worrying thing is Zimboz are as forgetful as baboons. Come election time these same people who are crying all sorts of foul will be given some ‘sweets’ to chew for a day and they will lead the pack in loudly chanting zanu pf slogans, dancing & gyrating like nocturnal personalities. Its a vicious cycle.
That’s the tragedy of taking rural people as if they don’t think.Rural people are well in their senses, know who is for them and against them.ZANU had to use Nikuv to avoid embarrassment in 2013.Now that we have seen the rural population is not easily fooled, its now up to opposition to build on the confidence of our rural fellows.We need them.They are patient but once they say they are for you, it takes time to discard you.Bravo to the Karangas for saying no to abuse!!!!!!
There is a backbone I have not seen in Zimbabwe since the liberation war. Well done for standing up for yourselves. We need more of that.
I will call this comrades freedom fighters, you got balls guys , just 3000 of you can stand your ground, I am asking my self what was the purpose of 10 ministers going there without any thing knowing the condition of those people, keep it tied guy do not give an inch, remember those promises when they came to power ,nothing has come our way only them
Hama dzangu dzekwaChivi musanyengedzegwa nembavha dzezanu idzi. vaizviziva kuti mvura ikavharigwa inoita flood. saka sei vakatanga kuvaka dhamu vasina kubvisa vanhu? dhamu ranga riri mumaplans kubva Smith achipo. Hapana chitsva apa. Pihwai compensation yenyu. maZANU ari kuda kujairira vanhu netribalism yavo.
TEN of them Went because ONE was POOP SCARED to go alone!!