A group of Chinese miners left Mutoko community in shock after visiting Katsukunya ward and produced a letter which gives them permission to take 178 hectares of land to conduct black granite mining. The prospective Chinese miners said they have been granted permission by the executive leaders whose names remain unknown, and came authoritatively informing the local authority and traditional leadership that the villagers have to be relocated to pave way for mining.
The local authority, Mutoko RDC is said to be handling this sensitive issue like a cracking egg as they are refusing to be drawn into the battle lines.
The council leadership invited Katsukunya community leaders to its offices and informed them that they received visitors who will be coming to do mining the community but it was up to the community to accept them.
Rumors circulating is that the affected villagers are to be relocated to Mudzi District, a development likely to be resisted by many.
Yes they invited us to the meeting and they promised to buy us cattle to slaughter during independence celebrations every year. Now can we really sell our future because of food that we can easily excrete?
Questioned one senior citizen who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The local headman Nyamukapa is said to have told his community that he has no power to block the investors because they have blessings from certain political giants.
Local councillors whose wards will be affected like Councilor Kwanisai Dende and Councilor Rutsito, refuted the claims that there are developments of such nature in their wards, a move that was viewed as trying to protect the Chinese investors. One villager who refused to be named fumed at the councilors;
We will definitely chase them away. We are tired of corrupt leaders, they must go!
More than 5 villages are bound to suffer relocation due to this development.
Mutoko has been battling unending conflicts with black granite miners for the past 35 years as they remain in abject poverty despite having vast tracts of mineral resources.
