…as community activists petition Bikita Minerals against arbitrary evictions

Chengetai Moyo

The High Court in Masvingo has granted relief to over two dozen families whose eviction from a piece of land claimed by Bikita Minerals had been greenlighted by the Bikita Magistrates Court, EnviroPress can report.

The villagers were arrested and recently appeared before Bikita Magistrate Rutendo Jakati after a dispute over the village which the mining company claims sits on its legally entitled land.

Bikita Minerals insist that the whole Murape village was created illegally on land that it owns, and has sought the inhabitants’ removal.

However, the villagers, who were represented by human rights lawyer and Masvingo Urban Member of Parliament (MP) Martin Mureri, claim that they were regularly settled on the land by government at the onset of the Land Reform Programme in year 2000.

Sitting with Justice Sunsley Zisengwe, High Court Judge Justice Helen Charewa stopped the evictions on the basis that there was no evidence to support claims that the Bikita Minerals had gazetted the land for expansion of mining activities.

“We are relived that the High Court has correctly set aside the ruling of the lower court. The High Court found no evidence that the land was gazette for mining. We will continue to use the law to defend the rights of the vulnerable villagers,” said Mureri.

Though many of the villagers contacted by EnviroPress declined to give comments for fear of reprisals, the Bikita Institute of Land and Development (BILAD) said it supported the High Court’s findings and will continue to work with villagers to resist arbitrary eviction.

“We are pleased that the High Court reversed the earlier decision that had been made by the Magistrates Court. This is a victory for justice and human rights that have so often came under attack from the company,” said the BILAD’s Mountain Mujakachi.

He said the petition which the organization and other stakeholders delivered to Bikita Minerals last year outlining community expectations for fair relocation would remain the referral point for further action.

“We have made it clear that Bikita Minerals must cease its belligerent attitude and negotiate a way forward that’s acceptable to all. There has to be an agreement on fair compensation so that the victims can start all over again,” said Mujakachi.

Mujakachi thanked community and media stakeholders for helping to put the plight of Murape villagers on the limelight.

Last year, Bikita Mineral came under heavy criticism after digging an over 2-metre deep perimenter trench to keep the villagers out of the company’s land.

The trench has cut the families from a disused opencast mining pit which they had used as a source of water for several years.