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Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
MUTARE Rural District Council is embroiled in a dispute with over 600 families from Chitakatira who are refusing to vacate their plots to pave way for the local authority to transform the area into a growth point.

The villagers have since written to the council registering their displeasure over the intended development which they said would plunge them into poverty.

They said MRDC was imposing the growth point on them without consultation. In a letter dated April 6, 2017, the villagers — through their lawyer, Mr Blessing Nyamaropa of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights — said the setting up of the growth point was not in their best interest.

“Council has advised them that it intends to transform their villages into a growth point and the process of pegging will commence soon. The transformation will in a big way change their lives from communal into an urban set up.

“The villagers have been in occupation of their land since time immemorial and the land has been passed from generation to generation. “The growth point is being imposed on them and no proper consultations have been carried out with the affected villagers on whether they like the growth point or not.

“The local authority has not offered alternative land to villagers who do not wish to stay in the growth point. They relied on their land as source of livelihood by growing crops which they sell for survival.

“They own livestock which is their source of wealth and no explanation has been given on how these issues will be addressed. They are not resisting the development of the growth point, but they want their concerns addressed. The growth point should serve their interest not destroy their livelihood,” reads the letter.

The villagers said they used their own resources to provide piped water to their plots as well as electrifying their neighbourhood. “Council has not explained how they will be compensated. The growth point requires them to construct houses that meet the set standards from their communal houses they are currently occupying and again council has not clarified whether it will assist them in constructing new houses.”

MRDC chief executive officer, Mr Shepherd Chinaka, could not comment on the impasse saying he was out of office. “I am currently in Bulawayo attending a conference,” he said.

Mr Nyamaropa warned MRDC from arbitrary evicting the villagers from their plots. “The right to protection from arbitrary eviction is now protected under Section 74 of the Constitution. We therefore warn you against making any threats of eviction as this will be resisted and courts will be approached for redress. We have been instructed to demand as we hereby do that you stop the process of pegging our client’s land before addressing issues raised in this matter.”