Over 300 hundred villagers from nine villages in Chieftaness Mungule’s area in Chibombo district of Central Province have rejected a project by Sable group of companies to construct three dams on Mwembeshi river for sugar plantation.
The irate villagers at a meeting held at Mbosha Basic School today also passed a vote of no confidence in all the headmen involved in the alleged deal with Sable saying the project would not benefit them but would only displace most of them.
Sable group of companies has plans to put up the dams to hold water for irrigating sugar fields at the company farm but the villagers turned down the project.
ZANIS reports that the villagers said they could not accept the project from an individual or a company because they feared displacement and that they would only accept if this was initiated by Government because it would be genuine with minimal conditions and they would benefit from it.
In a speech on behalf of the villagers, Headman Shandiongo said the matter had brought about sleepless nights among the subjects as no consultations were made between them and traditional leaders .
He said people had lived in respective places for a long time adding that it would be unfair for the headmen to engage into a deal with Sable company with a view to having dams constructed because the villagers would be villagers displaced.
Headman Shandiongo said that traditional leaders who allegedly dubiously had clandestine meetings with Sable company management were not fit to be community leaders because they did not have a a heart for the subjects.
And many villagers who contributed to the discussion, said it was embarrassing and shameful that the interest for money some headmen had, resulted in them selling land which was occupied without thinking where their subjects could go.
Sable representative, Saint Siamalambo explained that the purpose of constructing the three dams was not only to hold water for irrigation but to enable the villagers go into small holder schemes where they would be allowed to grow sugar and sell it to the company.
Mr. Siamalambo said the people along the river would also be allowed to grow vegetables and also allow their animals to drink from the dams adding that the company felt the move would help people develop their respective areas.
However, he said his company would not go ahead with the project because people had rejected it outrightly adding that all arrangements that were being made such as surveying the area, would stop immediately.
Meanwhile, village headman Fumpa, confessed after villagers pressurised the headmen to confirm having meetings with Sable management, that nine headmen were called for a meeting at Sable where the company management asked for authority to go ahead with the project.
Headman Fumpa told the meeting that there was no money involved in the matter adding that people should not think that the village headmen were paid money for them to allow Sable carry out the project.
The villages involved include Mbosha, Mulela, Fumpa, Mubamba, Mbongolo, Shamasamu, Shandiongo, Shangala, Mapulanga, Shimanimamba, Ndendula and Liteta in chieftainess Mungule of Chibombo district.
Headman Chikasha and Mbongolo did not attend the meeting but they are also involved in the matters.
And reports reaching ZANIS from Shandiongo indicate that headman Shandiongo was yesterday evening clobbered by headman Chikasha who felt embarrassed after he was tipped off by another headman about what transpired at the meeting.
ZANIS
“And reports reaching ZANIS from Shandiongo indicate that headman Shandiongo was yesterday evening clobbered by headman Chikasha who felt embarrassed after he was tipped off by another headman about what transpired at the meeting.”
Headmen clobbering each other? Why even consult these villagers. Just build the damn and move them elsewhere.
Some one is bring investment and development which these people do not want… then they will line up to government for handouts…. still living in the Kaunda era what a pity
Development should not only be seen in mining,even agriculture is development. Allow thise chaps to construct dams, and have your cattle drink from there,you can even grow vegetables to eat and resell and even grow sugar cane and supply then for processing (see what is happening at Kaleya in Mzazabuka> Come on and wake up banene! Beene chishi….
Zambians whether villagers or urban settlers need to be consulted on development projects that has impact on their environment, which in most cases is a source of their livelyhood. The poor bare the worst adverse effects of poorly implemented projects in as far as the environment is concerned.Dealing with or interfering with watershed and waters natural flow has adverse enviromental impacts. If the EIA/EPB spells doom for these people, the project should surely be rejected. There is need to have the project evaluated by qualified assessors at Environmental Council of Zambia.
Imwe ba # 2. Don’t blame the villagers. Blame Sable for not involving the community and educating them about the true benefits of the project. Chances are the few headmen they spoke to simply had their palms greased.
What # 1!! Take them somewhere else???!!! Where else?? Malabishi! Dont you see how the Valley people of the Zambezi suffer when all the mines that are benefiting from the electricity generated from the Lake where they were displaced dont pay back much to benefit them. Come on! These people in Chibombo District must not be cheated that they will grow vegetables or have their animals drink from the dams without any signed agreement. We know how some of these Zambians of some country of orign behave. Sign contractual agreements with Sable for the dams to be constructed. In Mazabuka, its a different thing because water is drawn from the Kafue River hence no displacement of people unlike what happened to the Tonga People during the construction of the Kariba Dam. Respect Human Rights! Sha!
#4 & #6 i agree with u. displacement is very stressful especially when the government is too poor to put in place a decent resettlement plan. another thing, i have no faith in the Sable group whatsoever. their construction company has been doing a half-@a$$ed job on the Mfuwe-Chipata road for the past 10 years but government contracts keep going to these incompetent mambalas. i cant begin to imagine the havoc they would wreck to the area if this were to go ahead. if the project was headed by a different company and the government had a clear picture of where the people would be taken, i’d feel a bit better about this. in the meantime, well done chibombo villagers.. More power to the people!!!!
Bana Mishi yesu congrats, please don’t give yo land to these scrupulous land dealers for minimal benefit.You already have that river to yourselves. Remember what happened to your brothers at Munali mines, Are villagers still employed by the mines? Please forget if you expect something from the fi sable not even government should convince you.
Good decision by the communities. If this thing was going to benefit the locals and well handled the communities would not have rejected it.
Its amazing how Zambian think that if an investor comes to develop a project people must benefit. These people pay taxes. Corporate Tax, VAT, Dutes, PAY which all goes to the government. Why do you not ask the government to develop the area with the money collected? What you are advocating is a double taxation system.
Guys they have the right to decide what is good for them
If the dams will displace them then they should be fairly compensated for the move not just moved because some fool thinks they are villagers and do not count as humans. Bear in mind dams will bring a lot more malaria to the area. I am not saying that the development should be stopped but it should be carefully implemented. And Logic people who think like you should not even call themselves Zambians.
And to all you yes!! all development should benefit the local population as they are the ones that are affected the most by the negative consequences of ill planned development.
Such projects only benefit the whites who would have money for water rights. why should the ordinary Zambian be displaced for a foreigner to benefit. Zambians, these are not colonial times. let us exercise our rights as zambians. this is our land. Boers, go back to your land. I wish Mugabe was a Zambian to deal with you. Nonsense.