Zimbabwe: Tokwe-Mukosi Chingwizi Land Dispute Reignites Eviction Threats

• Approximately 20,000 villagers, displaced for Zimbabwe's Tokwe-Mukosi Dam in 2014, face new eviction threats from investors claiming their resettled land.
• The villagers were officially resettled at Chingwizi Section, Nuanetsi Ranch, under Statutory Instrument 53 of 2014, and have developed the land with government knowledge.
• Investors are reportedly desecrating graves and threatening to demolish homes without legal authority, claiming the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development allocated them the same land.
• Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has demanded the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development clarify the land's status and the identity of any new claimants within seven days.
• This Tokwe-Mukosi Chingwizi land dispute highlights severe land tenure insecurity and the potential for conflicting land claims for resettled communities in Zimbabwe.

The ongoing Tokwe-Mukosi Chingwizi land dispute vividly illustrates the profound land tenure insecurity prevalent in Zimbabwe, particularly for resettled communities.

A severe land dispute has erupted in Zimbabwe, impacting approximately 20,000 individuals from nearly 3,000 families who were forcibly relocated to the Chingwizi area of Nuanetsi Ranch in 2014. These communities, originally displaced to facilitate the construction of the 9,600-hectare Tokwe-Mukosi Dam, are now facing eviction threats from unidentified investors who claim ownership of the land previously allocated to them by the government. The situation is dire, with reports of graves being desecrated and threats to demolish homes using graders, despite the absence of any court orders or lawful authority for such actions. This marks a renewed period of instability for villagers who have already endured significant hardship since their initial displacement.

The villagers' journey to Chingwizi began in 2014 when they were compelled to abandon their ancestral homes due to the impending floods caused by the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam project. Although they initially resisted the relocation, the government eventually intervened, promising financial compensation and subsequently providing land, assisting in the construction of essential infrastructure like schools and hospitals, and enabling the re-establishment of their communal way of life. However, the promised financial redress never fully materialized, with initial offers made in the then-worthless RTGS currency, leaving many feeling abandoned and forgotten. Now, the very land where they have rebuilt their lives and buried their deceased family members is under contention, raising serious questions about land rights and security in Zimbabwe.

In response to these escalating threats, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), through legal representatives Obey Shava and Tatenda Sigauke, has formally intervened on behalf of the affected villagers. A letter has been dispatched to Minister of Lands and Rural Development Vangelis Haritatos, demanding urgent clarification regarding the land's status. The ZLHR highlights that their clients were officially resettled at Chingwizi Section, Nuanetsi Ranch A, Mwenezi District, Masvingo Province, under the authority of Statutory Instrument 53 of 2014, following their displacement for the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam project. This instrument legally sanctioned their occupation and development of the land.

The legal challenge underscores that the villagers have, with the explicit knowledge and approval of the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development, occupied, developed, and significantly improved the allocated land over an extended period. They have constructed homes, established schools and clinics, and created burial sites for their family members. The purported investors, however, assert that the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development has allocated the identical land to them. Crucially, these 'investors' have failed to provide any documentation demonstrating that the villagers' rights of occupation have been lawfully terminated, that the land has been legally repossessed by the Ministry, or that they are the legitimate new allottees or occupiers of the land in question, leaving the villagers in a precarious legal limbo.

The ongoing Tokwe-Mukosi Chingwizi land dispute vividly illustrates the profound land tenure insecurity prevalent in Zimbabwe, particularly for resettled communities. The villagers are entitled to a clear understanding of their land rights, and the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development bears a legal and ethical obligation to disclose the true position regarding the land they occupy. The ZLHR has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Ministry, demanding a written response confirming whether any portion of the land currently occupied by their clients at Chingwizi Section has been allocated, offered, or leased to other parties. They also seek clarification on whether the villagers' right to the land has been revoked and the identity of any individuals or companies claiming ownership.

This situation highlights the potential for conflicting land claims even on government-allocated land, posing significant challenges for land rights in Zimbabwe. The forced displacement Zimbabwe legal context is complex, and the failure to protect the land rights of these communities, who have already suffered immense disruption, raises serious human rights concerns. The demand for transparency from the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development is not merely procedural but fundamental to resolving this critical land dispute and ensuring justice for the affected families.

This case highlights severe land tenure insecurity in Zimbabwe, particularly for resettled communities, and the potential for conflicting land claims even on government-allocated land. Lawyers advising on land transactions or development projects in Zimbabwe must conduct rigorous due diligence to identify and mitigate risks associated with ambiguous land titles and potential human rights violations, while also being prepared for litigation against state entities for failure to protect land rights.

Source: Reporting based on recent news coverage.