Township burnt down in weekend Chimanimani raids

By Violet Gonda
19 July 2005

More than 150 families are stranded after police went to the Old Location township in Chimanimani at the weekend and burnt down their wooden shacks. The Old location was located in the centre of Chimanimani Town and these people have been living there for many years. Although there is a police station right next door the residents were given no warning.

Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa says most of the families have no rural homes to go to and there is no transport to ferry them either. He said from the very beginning the Chimanimani Rural District Council was helped to set up structures in this area which became known as the Old Location. The houses were built with timber because it was readily available and cheap in Chimanimani. Now they have been burnt to ashes and desperate people are living in the open.