Plumtree villagers regret not migrating to Botswana

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MASENDU villagers in Plumtree, Matabeleland South Province, regret not trying their luck during a 2006 screening exercise of Nswazi people, which saw hundreds of them being allowed to relocate to neighbouring Botswana.

MASENDU villagers in Plumtree, Matabeleland South Province, regret not trying their luck during a 2006 screening exercise of Nswazi people, which saw hundreds of them being allowed to relocate to neighbouring Botswana. NQOBANI NDLOVU STAFF REPORTER

They said, maybe, if they had cheated their way during the screening exercise and became Botswana citizens, they could no longer be crying about water challenges they have faced over the years.

They feel neglected by local authorities.

Ben Nkomo, a village head in Thandawani village, Masendu area, said the feeling among villagers is that governments — pre and post-independence — had failed them after ignoring their cries for a dam, hence, “some are saying they regret not taking chances and going to Botswana”.

“There are six villagers under Masendu and the dam is so small and dries up very quickly due to siltation, forcing us to walk long distances to the nearest water sources,” he said.

“This is why some villagers feel that it would have paid to try their luck during the 2006 screening exercise and become Tswanas and forget water problems plaguing this area.”

The Masendu area only has one small dam, Masendu Dam, which was built by villagers in 1957.

In 1998, the Bulilima Rural District Council, as a stop-gap measure, reportedly tried to deal with the siltation problem by increasing the water level, but with disastrous consequences, as the constructed dam wall quickly collapsed.

A majority of clinics in Bulilima are operating without water, some for over a year now, with a report by the district medical officer, Nobert Singane showing that only six of the 15 clinics for the first three quarters of 2013 had reliable water sources.

“Since it looks like no other dam will be constructed, and realising that it has failed since 1957, we are only asking the government to at least provide funds to hire required machinery to de-silt this small dam,” the report says.

“Short-cut measurers like the one done in 1998 by the council due to lack of funds will not work.”

Davis Ncube, a former councillor between 1993 and 2002, pleaded with the government “to hear our cries and fulfil promises to construct Temateme Dam”, which reportedly has been on the cards since 1963.

“Feasibility studies were done a long ago and it has been promise after promise,” he said.

“The Temateme Dam is the only solution to the water problems that is also affecting out livestock.

“Herd boys have to drive cattle about 20km to and from the grazing lands to the dam three times a week since they cannot travel that distance daily.”

Ncube said the lack of a dam is to blame for the food shortages stalking the area as “cattle will not be having the energy required for ploughing big fields”.

He added that with a dam providing a reliable water source, villagers will be food self-sufficient as they could then search for funds to set up drip irrigation schemes.

Drip irrigation is method that saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of the plants through a network of valves, pipes and tubes.

Freeman Dube, an ex-councillor between 2002 and 2007 and Chief Masendu’s secretary, weighed in saying their rights to water had been violated by the government for years.

“We want the government to construct a dam for us, or at least provide us with machinery, while we look for other resources, since water is a right,” he said.

“If the government chips in, we could be able to construct our Temateme dam in much the same way our parents did in 1957.”

According to Section 77 of the Constitution, citizens have a right to clean, potable water.

The United Nations recognises the human right to water and calls upon states and international organisations to provide financial resources help capacity-building and technology transfer to help countries, in particular developing countries, to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all.

In May, human rights lawyers challenged the government to provide safe drinking water to the country’s citizens or face legal action as failure was violation of the rights of the people.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said it was compiling information on the safety of water across the country with a view to taking legal action.

The sitting councillor, Vincent Dube said he will not tire “pushing the MP for the area and other stakeholders to ensure villagers are provided with an alternative water source”.

“This is what I have been doing from the day I was elected in 2008, however, without success,” he said.

Lungisani Nleya, the MP for Bulilima West was not available to comment on what he has done over the water issue.

Nleya reportedly pledged to ensure the Temateme Dam is constructed during his tenure.

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