Binga traditional leaders challenge Cumanzala’s narrative on Gwayi-Shangani dam relocations

The relocation of families affected by the construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam has sparked debate over cultural rights, ancestral land and development, with traditional leaders in Binga challenging the narrative presented by Member of Parliament Fanuel Cumanzala, founder of the Basilwizi Trust, to United Nations Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights Alexandra.

At the centre of the debate is the relocation of approximately 700 families from Nakanono and Kubondo, whose homes and ancestral connections are affected by the dam project. While concerns about the preservation of cultural heritage and the rights of affected communities deserve serious consideration, traditional leaders have presented a different perspective, describing the relocation as a return to ancestral land following generations of displacement.

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