Chisecha minefields certified landmine-free area

NEWS DESK

A 29 km stretch in Mukumbura area, Mt Darwin has been declared landmine free after three years of clearance work by a non-governmental organisation, the Halo Trust.

Covering 1 641 207 square kilometres from Mukumbura border post to Chigango area along the boundary with Mozambique, the anti-personnel mines were planted by the colonial Rhodesian forces during the liberation war.

For the past four decades the Chisecha minefields were posing a great danger to both humans, domestic livestock and wildlife.

Government remains committed to ensuring that all anti personnel minefields in the country are cleared said Minister of Defence, Dr Sydney Sekeramayi during the handover ceremony of the demined land.

Chief Chiswiti hailed government and the donor community for funding the demining exercises and urged the community to ensure that the cleared land is productively utilised.

The problem of landmines has haunted local communities since they were planted by the brutal Smith regime in the 1970s to try and stifle the progress of the liberation struggle. LOCAL