GOVERNMENT has released $1,5 million towards the compensation of nearly 2 000 families who were displaced during the Tokwe Mukosi dam floods in 2014, a senior government official has said.
Agencies
The families are expected to start receiving their compensation monies in their bank accounts early next week.
Masvingo provincial administrator Fungai Mbetsa said his office had already received the money from central government.
He said government still owes the victims $7,3 million and the current recipients will get 20% of what they are owed.
“We received $1,5 miliion from the central government to compensate about 1 995 Chingwizi villagers.
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“A total of $7,5 million is outstanding what we received is 20% of that amount which is $750 each family and the money is being transferred directly into their bank accounts,” Mbetsa said.
He added that the relocation of the families who are still housed at Chingwizi transit camp to their permanent places was still being looked into by the government.
Government has been involved in running battles with over 3 000 people evicted in Chivi to pave way for the newly constructed Tokwe-Mukosi dam with almost half of the victims yet to receive a cent in compensation from for their destroyed homes, property and livestock.
The villagers had become frustrated following government’s continuous reneging on its promises to permanently resettle and compensate them.
The flood victims had also threatened to resist any attempts to move them from the current transit camp where they are living under conditions that have been described by many humanitarian organizations as “inhuman”.