CommuTalk Reporter
HURUNGWE: Kapungu villagers in Magunje, Hurungwe District, led by Village Head Cleopas Kapungu, are resisting eviction orders from the Hurungwe Rural District Council (HRDC).
The dispute revolves around the council’s plan to remove villagers allegedly occupying a designated “special area” under government jurisdiction.
The council claims the land is reserved for special purposes and that villagers were compensated and relocated.
However, the residents deny these claims and insist they were not consulted or compensated.
In a letter obtained by this publication, dated 16 August 2024, the HRDC notified the villagers, stating that they must vacate the land by September 30, 2024, or face legal action.
“All government departments and chiefs relevant in the management of the said special purpose land have been notified,” wrote Muteta, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the HRDC.
Muteta warned that if the villagers did not demolish their structures, the council would “use the necessary law instruments to evict such illegal settlers.”
In response, Village Head Kapungu challenged the council’s eviction notice.
He claimed that the villagers, who have lived on the land for decades, were not consulted before the eviction orders were issued.
“The village heads and residents of the contested ‘special area’ were not consulted. Their inclusion in the consultation process would have been essential in resolving our disputes amicably,” Kapungu wrote.
He further argued that no compensation or relocation was ever provided, calling the council’s claims “entirely unfounded, grossly inaccurate, and deeply regrettable.”
Kapungu also reminded the council that any eviction must be carried out in accordance with the law, which requires obtaining a court order before any action is taken.
“Without following the law, the villagers will not abide by your unlawful order,” he asserted, warning of potential legal action if the council proceeds with the evictions without a proper process.
The conflict between the villagers and the council is not new and villagers blame the HRDC has not been transparent or cooperative in addressing their concerns since the 1980s.
Despite several attempts to engage with local authorities, including the District Administrator and the provincial government, the villagers say their grievances have gone unheard.
