A community meeting held recently by the Chiadzwa Community Development Trust in Ward 25 heard that food hand-outs were being politicised and causing divisions and hatred. The villagers identified irrigation, poultry, piggery projects among others, which they said would compensate for high unemployment levels in their areas while uplifting their livelihoods.
Last month, a group of Zanu (PF) councillors and officials in Marange allegedly looted a fertiliser and food donation by the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation while some MDC-T supporters were told that due to their political affiliation, they were not entitled to get anything.
Villagers said the diamond companies had done very little to assist local communities and many people had been impoverished by the loss of their land to mining.
Jealous Chikukwa (58) from Virimayi village said: “We thought that the discovery of diamonds in this area was going to benefit us and we would be able to send our children to school but that is not the case. If the diamond companies would construct dams for us we would do irrigation projects and grow vegetables for sale. We have dams like Masasi, which were silted up at the peak of diamond panning, but they can be resuscitated.”
Another villager, Chipo Nderere from Dhaure village said community projects could provide a respite for villagers, some of whom have been affected by the politicisation of food aid in the area.
“Right now, my husband is jobless and it’s very hard for us to get money for survival. When food hand-outs come, we do not get them as we are labelled MDC,” she said.
Eugene Masvaure (27) from Marange village said the discovery of diamonds in the area had led to a high cost of living. “I cannot really say we have benefited much from the discovery of diamonds in this area. Instead, prices of goods have gone up and most people have no means to generate money for their survival. If the diamond companies cannot find employment for people here, then they should consider funding projects that can help to improve people’s lives,” he said.
The CCDT aims to contribute towards tenure security rights, environmental protection and community economic empowerment through lobbying and advocacy and knowledge sharing.
Post published in: News