STAFF REPORTER
CHIKOMBEDZI- Clearance of landmines along the Sango Border Post to Mwenezi River minefield has been hit hard by the withdrawal of donor funding a development which has derailed the project, a senior government official has said.
In his remarks during the just-ended Explosive Ordinance Risk Education musical gala held at Dumisa Primary School in Chikombedzi, Chief of Staff General Staff Major General Augastine Chipwere said the project was supposed to have been completed by end of this year, however some donors withdrew funding the programme.
“Clearance of the Sango Border Post -Mwenezi Minefield was supposed to be complete by end of this year, however our partner APOPO, which was also working on the same minefield stopped their operations due to withdrawal of donor funding.
“What it means therefore is that the clearance of the minefield is going to take a little longer, maybe up to 2028,” he said.
He advised villagers not to rush entering the recently cleared areas as this would expose them to danger.
“I therefore plead with you not to rush entering the already cleared areas to build houses, conduct farming activities, grazing livestock and so on.
“Some of the cleared areas has not gone under quality control to certify that the land is totally clean,” he said.
He said the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) was going to continue with demining activities in Madzanda area near the Mozambique border.
“Please take note that there are some areas particularly the Madzanda area that have residential risks which we will clear once we complete this current task.
“I therefore urge you not to enter these minefields so that you can save lives and limps of people, livestock and wildlife,” he said.
Chikombedzi was a treacherous jungle filled with hidden deathtraps for a number of years .
For a number of years, residents of Chikombedzi endured devastating loses of human lives and livestock with many victims suffering from severe injuries caused by the landmines.
During the Rhodesian Bush War in the 1970s, an estimated 3 million landmines were planted along the country’s borders with Mozambique and Zambia.
