By Tinoonga Mawere, Masvingo|The $9 million Tokwe Mukosi second phase compensation fund released by the treasury has “vanished”.
As the displaced villagers continue to live in squalid conditions, government sources told ZimEye.com this week the 9 million second phase compensation fund was personally garnished by Zanu PF politicians in the province and part of it was used to finance the party’s programmes.
The displaced Tokwe Mukosi villagers have continued to live under squalid conditions more than two years after being moved from their original villagers. The government is yet to fully compensate the villagers and some of them were forcibly evicted from the Chingwizi camp by the uniformed forces.
This all happened as they demanded compensation from government.
The Minister of State for Masvingo Province Shuvai Ben Mahofa recently told state media the $9 million second phase compensation fund was in disbursement in November. Two weeks later however, that money is nowhere to be found.
The displaced Tokwe Mukosi villagers are facing health challenges since the tents they are living in are temporary and unfit for continuous human habitation .
The sorry sight of barefooted children walking on the rain soaked surface sums up the pathetic situation the villagers are facing, sources lament saying.
“The $9million second phase compensation fund was released by the treasury a few months ago but some politicians seized the money and the whole restitution exercise was stalled. We do not know when and how the money will be recovered.
The displaced Tokwe Mukosi villagers are living under pathetic conditions ,”said a government official .
The government has been reluctant to compensate the displaced villagers who at one point demanded to see President Robert Mugabe over the situation. The villagers in their frustration and anger also burnt a police vehicle protesting government ‘s reluctance to speed up the compensation process. Political analysts say the broke government is unlikey to recover the money.