https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/40 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 03:16:23 GMT 2026-04-18T03:16:23Z https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/4032 Title: Involuntary displacements in Zimbabwe : a case study of Chiadzwa Community in Marange since 2006-2015 Authors: Tazarurwa, Tatenda Abstract: It was in the year 2006, when diamonds were officially revealed in the Marange communal lands of Zimbabwe. In as much as people who remained behind at Chiadzwa were depressed of their farm lands, those villagers who had already been relocated also professed themselves as cursed due to a twine of misfortunes affecting their destiny.1 Ecologically, Chiadzwa lies in the aridity region. Its annual rainfall is not only low, but also unreliable. Over an extensive period of time, inhabitants tested with various coping strategies in order to pacify their harsh environment. This included the subsequent concentration on the cultivation of drought-tolerant crops. They also collected wild fruits and carried out basketry in exchange for food. Before the year 2006, Chiadzwa was hardly as critical and special economically as it became thereafter. In fact, it was a deserted area since succeeding colonial and post-colonial governments could not plan for long-term projects such as irrigation schemes similar to those established at nearby Nyanyadzi or elsewhere in the country. Economical development in the area was nominal, so were the area’s agriculture and food shortages.2 However, the detection and successive mining of sedimentary diamonds at the area of Ushonje, in Chiadzwa, brought unparalleled hope to local inhabitant that is the Chiadzwa community, particularly with regards to food security and infrastructural development. Residents looked up to the state for the development of infrastructure to rap the diamonds and direct some of the much needed proceeds to the area’s food needs. Outlooks were high that since Chiadzwa utter within the confines of two rivers, Save to the West and Odzi to the East, revenue from diamond mining would be directed into water harvesting schemes from these sources to increase agricultural productivity, rather than trusting only on rain-fed cultivation. But by the end of 2007 signs were already screening that all was not well as the state initially let illegal miners, to illegally crumple up for diamonds.3 Already, some young people could not benefit directly from this tactic as it was an issue of “survival’ of the fittest. Hence the people of Chiadzwa said that the diamonds proved to be a curse to their living. It was after the discovery of diamonds that the government introduced and employed a relocation programme. This resulted in the relocation of the Chiadzwa community preparatory from 2010 so as to pave way for the mining of diamonds by private mining companies. This dissertation contends the establishment of accommodation as positive move on the part of Government and mining companies, but the question of living in the new environment was barely attempted. Undeniably, by 2010, several families had been relocated into the newly-built housing units. At first, the affected people expressed cheerfulness that the mining companies were genuine, especially due to the apparently clad accommodation at the new site plus the promise of food aid.4 No sooner did people settle than they were already condemning the state and mining companies of defaulting on their undertaking to feed them. Most of the promises attested to be a paper tiger which hardly went beyond measly expression of romanticism as they were not transformed into practical action. The facilities at Odzi were widely doomed because they lacked alternative means of livelihood compared to those at Chiadzwa where bearable options such as fruit collection, basketry and animal rearing were readily available to foil crop cultivation. This placed the newly-resettled inhabitants in an undesirable and unwarranted position as they were challenged with a hugely bargained food and water supply situation.5 Villagers’ attempts to approach appropriate authorities for amplification failed to yield positive results as those stakeholders were not only elusive, but also supercilious and unwilling to shed light on the rapidly changing economics of relocation. Tue, 01 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/4032 2016-11-01T00:00:00Z Tazarurwa, Tatenda https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/4029 Title: The history of Nyafaru Farm as a site of political struggles from the 1960s up to 2016 Authors: Mabvudza, Shadreck Kudzai Abstract: The project intended to review the political history behind the Nyafaru Farm that led it to be the site of the political struggles in the Tangwena community from the 1960s to 2016. From the study, there are three main political factors identified that contributed to brought Nyafaru Farm as site of political struggles in Tangwena. Firstly, the land rights contradictions between the Tangwena people and the white farmer Hanmer during colonial era in 1966. The Tangwena people claimed that they have the ancestral land right on the Tangwena land, while the white farmer argued that the land was a European land, using the Land Apportionment Act of 1930 as his land right. The political struggles of evictions depending on the period started during that time up until 2016. Secondly, the formation of the Nyafaru Development Company became the backbone of the political struggles at Nyafaru Farm because it linked the farm with the political struggles. Nyafaru Development Company directors became inconsiderate on the farm during the post- independent era, which was against their main objectives from the inception of the company and against the Tangwena’s land right. Lastly, the result was the struggle for the eviction of the company and its directors from the farm and also put the farm with its activities to an end to avoid any possible oppression in future through that farm, which was achieved on 07th September 2016 after fourteen years of struggle. The qualitative methodology was applied whereby the author used interviews, focus group discussions and observations. Thu, 01 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/4029 2017-06-01T00:00:00Z Mabvudza, Shadreck Kudzai https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/3658 Title: An interrogation into the impact of diamond mining by Chinese companies: case of Chiadzwa (2006-2016) Authors: Karenyi, Obey Abstract: The impacts on the diamond mining in Chiadzwa have been under research by historians, individuals, humanitarian groups and many civil society organisations. However, my research unpacked the impacts of diamond mining by the Chinese companies, how they affected the community socio-economic, political and environmental. This research revealed that the people of Chiadzwa-Marange area were impacted direct and indirectly by the mining activities by the Chinese companies since the formalization of diamond mining in Chiadzwa. The mining activities resulted into relocation of local inhabitants, violation of cultural, human rights, property rights, environmental degradation and the marginalisation of the communities in Chiadzwa-Marange area. Basic information about the impacts of diamond mining activities was obtained through personal interviews with local people through open ended interviews carried out in various places of Chiadzwa-Marange area, sources from community based monitoring organisations and interviews from Civil Society Organisations and other Companies representatives. This research has stand to be an eye opener to such extent that I found out that the formal mining activities by the Chinese mining companies severely pushed the community of Chiadzwa-Marange to a marginalized area. Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/3658 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z Karenyi, Obey https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/3412 Title: The rise and fall of the mining industry in Zimbabwe with particular reference to Ziscosteel Authors: Mutero, Morris Abstract: This study focuses on the rise and fall of the mining industry in Zimbabwe focusing on ZISCOSTEEL. The study was carried out in Redcliff the home town of ZISCO. This research was mainly based on primary sources which includes books, news papers, archived company files and most importantly oral interviews. It was found out that the iron and steel industry dates back to pre-colonial times were indigenous people mined and processed iron to make tools like axes, hoes and weapons. Large scale commercial iron and steel industry commenced in colonial times with the establishment of Rhodesia Iron and Steel Company (RISCO) in 1942 up until the company was confiscated by the Zimbabwean government. It was renamed Zimbabwean Iron and Steel Company in 1980. The study focuses on various expansion projects that were carried out in ZISCO and the role the company has played in the country’s economy and society. The research found out that the company started having production problems in the early 2000s and eventually stopped operations in 2008. The study highlights that several attempts were made to try and resuscitate the gigantic steel works like pre-financing, looking for private investors but all these failed. The research discovered that the collapse of ZISCO manifested rapacious socio—economic impacts on Zimbabwe. Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/3412 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z Mutero, Morris