Human factor development and the displacement of affected communities at Tugwi - Mukosi Dam in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Mega dams around the country such as Kariba, Osbourne and Tokwe-Mukosi have provided hope for the local people in terms of potential development projects of their communities. Existence of these dams is ironic in the sense that in as much as they give people life, they also cause problems in terms of displacement to communities that surround them. People who live near and around these dams usually risk being removed from their original homes to allow for the expansion of these water bodies. By displacing them from their original places, they are being detached from their being, history and spiritual connections. It is against this background that Human Factor Development approach to human displacements is considered to explain and restore sanity to victims’ lives. Human Factor Development advocates for the inclusion of people in undertaking decisions that affect them. Qualitative research methodology was employed with resettled victims as target population. Using convenient and purposive sampling, the researcher employed face to face interviews and established that Tokwe-Mukosi victims were not given the opportunity to take part in fixing their problems.