Midlands Youth League calls for more farm repossessions
Chronicle 25 August 2017
Kudzanai Chipanga
Freedom Mupanedemo, Midlands Bureau
THE ruling Zanu-PF party’s youth wing has urged Government to repossess farms that still remain in the hands of a few commercial white farmers and allocate them to landless youths.
Addressing hundreds of youths gathered for the Midlands inter-district meeting in Gweru on Wednesday, the national youth league chairperson, Cde Kudzai Chipanga, said the current generation of youths was too young to benefit from the land reform programme, when it started.
“We therefore urge Government, through its relevant ministry, to take over farms that remain in the hands of a minority whites. We know such farms are there and as youths, we say we also need a fair share of our land,” said Cde Chipanga, much to applause.
He said there were many farms lying idle in the country that Government did not repossess under the land reform programme which could benefit many youths, if acquired.
“We know there are some farms that Government did not repossess because they served a critical sector like dairy farms. We have no problem with such farms but there are those that still lie idle with the owners still holding on to them because they have connections with chefs. As youths we say no, let’s get those farms re-allocated so that the majority can benefit.
“These are some of the grievances that we have tabled before the President and he is seized with the matter,” he told the cheering crowd.
Cde Chipanga said the youth league was engaged in various empowerment projects to empower youths with the land issue topping the agenda.
He said as future leaders, youths should also participate in decision-making and should also be accorded a chance to sit on parastatal boards.
“We are tired of reading in the newspapers that retired general so and so has been appointed into this or that board. We also want to seats on those boards and participate in decision making for the development of our country. We are privileged to have a President like Cde Mugabe who listens to our grievances,” Cde Chipanga said.