Story by Peter Chivhima
THE government has declared Manicaland Province landmine-free, and, the cleared land is set to be handed over to the communities for development in April this year.
This significant achievement, which follows years of dedicated efforts, was announced by the Minister of Defence, Honourable Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, during the recently concluded three-day National Stakeholders Dialogue on Humanitarian Demining and Mine Victim Assistance held in Harare.
“In Mashonaland Central, demining in Mt Darwin District was completed by the HALO Trust,” she said.
“Mine clearance is nearing completion in Rushinga District, giving hope that the province will soon be mine-free. Similarly, Manicaland Province is now mine-free following the completion of mine clearance in the four Districts, Chipinge, Mutasa, Mutare Urban, and Mutare Rural.
“The Norwegian People’s Aid was working in this province and post-clearance control through quality control was done by December 15, 2024. A handover-takeover ceremony of the cleared land will take place in April 2025.”
The defence minister also revealed that Zimbabwe is on the cusp of achieving a major milestone becoming a landmine-free nation with a staggering 96 percent of land cleared.
“Since independence, significant progress has been registered towards making Zimbabwe a mine-free zone,” Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said.
“To date, all except 12 km² of the mine-infested area has been cleared and handed back to communities for economic exploitation. This represents four percent of the total minefields inherited at independence. A phenomenal achievement indeed!
“The Zimbabwe National Army’s National Mine Clearance Unit has completed the main minefield in Victoria Falls, Matabeleland North up to Mlibizi, leaving a small portion at Lusulu. In Mashonaland West, the minefield around the Kariba Power Station was again cleared by the National Mine Clearance Unit thereby making the Province mine-free.”
Through collaborative efforts with development partners, the Second Republic is implementing various initiatives to support landmine victims and is undertaking a review of the War Victims Compensation Act of 1980.
