The Observer - 16 March 2014 - 3
Government failed us: Tokwe Mukosi villagers
Tokwe-Mukosi villagers load their wares in a lorry as they prepare to go to Chingwizi transit camp
G
Thomas Madhuku
overnment is under serious attack
by Tokwe-Mukosi villagers who are
accusing it of failing to expedite their
relocation to a new settlement before
construction of Tokwe-Mukosi dam.
More than 3000 families were affected by floods
that hit Tokwe-Mukosi basin following incessant rains
early this year. The affected families have expressed
bitterness over the government’s failure to foresee
and act upon the disaster that has to date gobbled
close to $20 million.
Thokozani Mugabiri, one of the victims now
camped Chingwizi transit camp in the Nuanetsi
Ranch, Mwenezi, could not hold back her tears as
she narrated her ordeal.
“It was difficult for us to sleep at night as we
constantly feared being swept away by water,”
Mugabiri said.
“Takabva kumba kwedu tikaenda pamwe
pakakwirira tichifunga kuti mvura haisviki. asi
patamuka takaona mvura yava pachivanze. (We
relocated to higher ground hoping to avoid flooding,
but when we woke up the following morning, water
was flowing in our yard, “ she said in the local Shona
language.
Mugabiri added that it took them four days
waiting for helicopters to relocate them to higher
grounds at Gunikuni, a temporary camp where flood
victims were accommodated before being relocated
to Chingwizi camp.
It took them a further four days before they were
finally taken to Chingwizi where she currently stays
in a small tent with her husband and four children.
Asked if the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) or any
government department had notified them of the
coming floods, Mugabiri said they were not properly
informed as the information circulated like a rumour.
“None of us expected that there will be floods
owing to lack of information,” said Mugabiri.
Another victim, who preferred not to be identified
for fear of victimization, blamed the government for
not acting before the floods got out of hand.
“Why would the government go ahead with the
construction of the dam before relocating us to a
safer area? If they had planned properly, all of us who
lived closer to the dam should have been relocated by
December; they should have done that even if they
did not have money to compensate us.
“Right now we are in a worse state of desperation,
even without compensation,” he said.
He added that he was not concerned with
anything except two things: “Word from government
that we have found a place to relocate and tha Ё