LEADING human rights defenders this week condemned what they described as the “illegal relocations” of villagers from Manhize communal lands without their consent to pave the way for a steel manufacturing operation.
Once completed, the Dinson Iron and Steel Company’s Manhize plant is projected by the government to be Africa’s largest steel plant, producing five million tonnes of processed steel annually.
On paper, the benefits of the US$1,5 billion investments appear immense — significant foreign currency savings from reduced steel imports, a boost for downstream industries such as coal mining, and employment opportunities for thousands of unemployed Zimbabweans.
The plant is also expected to process iron ore from Zimbabwe’s rapidly expanding mining sector, which has been buoyed by growing domestic and international demand.
It is touted as the catalyst Zimbabwe needs to revive its struggling economy, following a turbulent 25-year stretch characterised by relentless inflationary cycles and economic instability.
However, the project has provoked widespread outrage among hundreds of villagers who now find themselves displaced by the Chinese investment — one of the key projects meant to fill the gap left by the withdrawal of Western multinationals after 2000.
Following the Zimbabwe Independent’s exposé on the villagers’ plight, human rights and legal experts warned that authorities were trampling on the rule of law by allegedly coercing villagers into signing consent forms under duress.
In a letter to Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement minister Anxious Masuka in January, representatives of Mushenjere Village in Manhize alleged they had been forced to sign relocation forms.
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The villagers alleged that those who resisted were accused of rebelling against the government. Ultimately, they had no choice but to comply.
Quoting a report by the Centre for Research and Development (CRD), the Independent revealed that powerful figures allegedly threatened Mushenjere villagers, estimated to number around 300, with “death and disappearance”.
Their grievances extended beyond forced displacement. New houses at the relocation site developed cracks soon after completion, which villagers attributed to poor workmanship.
CRD further claimed that Dinson’s operations had resulted in massive dust pollution, engulfing large portions of their land.
Prominent lawyer Tendai Biti, who successfully defended Chilonga villagers against similar forced relocations, condemned the Manhize evictions as blatant legal violations.
“There is nothing surprising about this,” Biti, a former minister of finance, said.
“It is not just the people in Manhize. The Chinese have been invading our graveyards. So this idea of putting profits before citizens is just unbelievable.
“The actions are blatantly illegal, blatantly unconstitutional,” Biti said.
The relocations have left behind a trail of devastated communities and shattered lives. They have many complaints, but the government is determined to push them out.
The pattern is familiar. Authorities, often with the tacit backing of security forces, descend upon affected communities and order compliance. Villagers are strong-armed into signing consent papers, often under duress, effectively surrendering their land and way of life.
Human rights lawyer Musa Kika said forced evictions required a court order.
Kika said: “Section 74 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe states that ‘no person may be evicted from their home, or have their home demolished, without an order of court made after considering all the relevant circumstances’.
“In order for any person to be removed from their home, a court order is required, and forcibly and potentially fraudulently acquired written consent does not meet the standard.
“The constitutional standard requires that when someone is to be removed from their home, alternative accommodation of similar or better standard be provided, and that adequate notice be provided for such a move.
“Obtaining consent papers by force, threats or other forms of coercion are a nullity as such consent papers constitute no real consent. They are defective agreements,” he added.
Another lawyer Douglas Coltart said it was unacceptable for people to be coerced off their land without their informed consent. “The forced relocation of villagers in Manhize is a disturbing trend that warrants urgent attention,” he said.
“It is unacceptable that people are being coerced off their land without their informed consent. It is the government’s duty to protect and respect the right to land and property. This is not only a gross violation of human rights but also a betrayal of the trust that these villagers have placed in their government,” he said.
