Mberengwa Rural District Council (RDC) and 79 families in Gorongwe area have signed an agreement to allow for the expansion of Mataga Growth Point, after 23 years of wrangling over the issue.
Masvingo Mirror
The deal was signed two weeks ago following the intervention of the Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation (CCMT), which brought together the warring parties.
The Gorongwe community area stretches along the Zvishavane-Ngungumbane road, south of Mutorahuku stream and consists of two villages, Chipedza and Chagwiza.
A deal was finally struck after council agreed to allocate irrigation plots to villagers likely to be displaced by the project.
Each villager will also get a 450-square metre residential stand at the growth point.
Addressing guests at the signing ceremony, Mberengwa RDC chief executive officer, Julius Mashavakure said the two parties have since 1994 failed to agree on the expansion of Mataga, and for 23 years the development planned for the area could not take place.
The community argued that the land was theirs on which they depended for their livelihood, and, therefore, could not cede it. Council argued that as stated in the Communal Lands Act, they held in trust all communal land that was under the jurisdiction of Mberengwa RDC, and as stated in the RDC Act, they had the authority to acquire land for the purposes of development in the area.
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Serious negotiations only began after 2014, when CCMT got involved in the discussions.
CCMT representative, Xavier Mudangwe said: “Dialogue is very important in resolving dispute, and we are happy that our intervention in 2014 has led to this agreement.”
Gorongwe community chairperson, Samuel Nkomo said he was happy with the agreement.
Chief Mataga (Malaini Nkomo) said council’s initial approach to the issue antagonised the villagers, who dug in resulting in zero development for 23 years.
