Zimbabwe relocates Chiadzwa residents
By NOZIPHO MASEKO
Published on: 29th November, 2009
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ZIMBABWE – MUTARE – Two investors at Chiadzwa have set aside US$10 million for immediate relocation of 1 700 households living in the vicinity of the diamonds mine fields while government is considering giving them small-scale mining licenses.
Locally-owned Mbada Mining and Canadile Miners Private Limited are the two investors that have joined the Zimbabwe Mining Development Company in extracting diamonds at Chiadzwa, as full exploitation of the precious gem gains momentum.
Speaking in the Parliament last week, Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Mr Murisi Zwizwai said government “was in the process of marking homes for the people of Chiadzwa to be resettled there (Arda Farm), as investors have set aside US$10 million for the exercise,” he said.
Mr Zwizwai was responding to a question by Magwegwe Member of the House of Assembly, Mr Felix Sibanda during questions without notice session, last week.
Mr Sibanda wanted to know government policy on households settled around the Chiadzwa diamond fields.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Mr Zwizwai said relocation was going ahead despite some challenges with people having already started farming activities in the area.
He said the committees and the taskforce were working “flat out” to make sure the relocation exercise was expedited and the community to also benefit from the mining ventures in the area.
“The Chiadzwa people will be relocated to former Arda farm near Mutare where we have considered issues of land and an irrigation schemes which we believe is going to incentivise them because there will be better tillage in a number of ways.
“The US$10 million availed by the two investors is going to be used in improving infrastructure and building better houses for them.
However, they can still go back to Chiadzwa after the mining activities have been ceased since diamond is non-renewable resource.
The villagers, he added, could still maintain their houses at the farm.
Mr Zwizwai said government was considering issuing small-scale mining licenses to the community people for them to also benefit from the precious mineral.
“We are also considering to deliberately give small scale mining licenses to people of Chiadzwa so that they can also benefit from the diamond activities.
“We cannot just give licences to foreigners only and overlook our people that is why we want to give small scale mining licenses to Chiadzwa people,” Mr Zwizwai said.
However, villagers in Chiadzwa are reluctant to be relocated as they argue that government cannot just relocate them to another area.
They say the community should benefit through employment at the mine.
Chiadzwa Community Development Trust chairman, Mr Newman Chiadzwa speaking to The Herald last week said their expectation as a community were that they were also given a stake in the ventures.
The Manica Post, last week reported that over 650 jobs had been created at the mine of which 90 percent of the workers mostly guards are from Chiadzwa and Marange areas.
There were reports that more jobs could be created as the two companies expand operations and new investors stake their claim at the vast diamond field covering some 70 000 hectares.
