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Parliament calls on government to investigate Kasukuwere over Marange–Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust within 14 days

5.1.2 The Chiadzwa Household Census to determine the actual number of affected families concluded that 31 villages with a total of 4 321 households, 11 564 cattle, 17 208 goats, 1 458 sheep and 362 donkeys would be affected by the mining activities. The Committee was informed that currently, 10 villages, with 1 800 households, had been identified for relocation on the villagized model A1 scheme, and that they will take up 4 500 hectares of the 11 500 hectares available. The homesteads constructed for relocates would consist of 3 bed roomed core house, a traditional kitchen, and a toilet, on a one hectare piece of land.

5.1.3 The remaining balance 5 000 hectares was set aside for grazing, 1 000 hectares for the development of socio-economic infrastructure, including clinics and shops, and the other 1 00 hectares is set for potential investors. Thus, a lot still needs to be done in terms of relocation of affected households. The Provincial Administrator's Office indicated that those that are yet to be relocated have been affected by pollution coming from mines. This was confirmed by villagers at Bambazonke Business Center, on 2 April 2016, where it was revealed that Diamond Mining Company (DMC) was spewing effluent into Chenyu and Singizi Rivers both of which are Save River tributaries, thereby exposing aquatic life, the surrounding villagers and livestock to contaminated water.

5.1.4 On the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust (CSOT), the Provincial Administrator's Office informed the Committee that the payment of the pledged USD50 million, where individual companies were supposed to pay  USD 10 million each, and the USD 1.5 million that was presented as a dummy cheque when the President launched the trust in 2012, has remained elusive. Not a single company has fulfilled its pledge. As of March 2016 the following were the payments made by companies according to Provincial Administrator's Office:

5.1.5 The Committee was further informed that the Trust had implemented projects in all the 36 Council Wards with a minimum of value of USD 5 000 per ward. Projects implemented in the wards ranged from borehole drilling and rehabilitation, construction of classroom blocks, construction of bridges, grading of roads and purchase of school furniture. This was confirmed during public hearings at Zimunya Business Centre and Bambazonke Business Centre in Marange. The Trust also financed three district projects Madanga Clinic (Mutare South), Matiza Clinic (Mutare West), and grading of roads in Mutare North. The Committee was also told that the Trust had no secretariat of its own and that its administration was run by the Council Administration through the Finance Department while the Council Engineer is handling its project management.

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Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

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