Binga women resist relocation

by JEFFREY MANTAMBABINGA
BINGA – WOMEN in Binga’s Lubimbi Ward 20 are demanding water, schools, healthcare and economic opportunities before their communities are relocated to make way for the Gwayi-Shangani Dam.

Residents raised their concerns during a community engagement meeting on the proposed Nakanono resettlement area, saying inadequate services could place an especially heavy burden on women, who are largely responsible for collecting water, caring for children and supporting households.

The Gwayi-Shangani Dam is part of the wider Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project and is expected to transform water availability for communities, agriculture and industry across the region.

However, the development is also expected to displace communities in parts of Binga, creating difficult questions around compensation, housing, infrastructure and livelihoods.

Villagers say relocation should not simply mean moving families from one place to another. They want the new settlement to provide essential services and opportunities that allow communities to rebuild their lives.

Water is among their biggest concerns. Residents fear that distant water sources could increase the amount of time women spend fetching water while also creating difficulties for households constructing new homes.

They are also calling for schools and health facilities to be located close to the new settlements.

Beyond basic services, affected communities want local people to benefit economically from the dam, including through employment opportunities.

The concerns add pressure on authorities to ensure that development associated with the dam is accompanied by meaningful community participation.

For Lubimbi residents, the issue is therefore not opposition to development, but whether the people giving up their homes and land will receive adequate support and share in the benefits.

As the dam project advances, relocation planning is likely to remain a major issue for Binga communities.