Migration, local politics and CAMPFIRE

Abstract

O ver the years there has been, in Southern Africa, a steady flow o f populations from the overcrowded com munal areas into those m arginal zones which previously were sparsely populated. U sually it is post-independent leadership which encourages and facilitates settlem ent into these m arginal areas currently occupied b y m inohty ethnic groups which have failed to secure po litica l representation since independence. The influx o f people into these m arginal areas affects the developm ent o f existing program m es aim ed a t sustainable utilisation o f natural resources. This article show s how politicians in Zim babwe facilitate the resettlem ent o f people into the previously sparsely populated Zam bezi Valley. In addition, it show s th a t the huge influx o f people into the valley has tended to affect the developm ent o f a com m unity-based na tura l resource m anagem ent project which was starting to benefit the Tonga people.