Agricultural Inputs Distributed on Party Lines Hurungwe
Residents of Magunje, Hurungwe are being denied access to seed and other
agricultural inputs at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) Hurungwe on party
lines. Magunje residents who attended a community meeting organized by the
Centre for Community Development In Zimbabwe (CCDZ).
The meeting was aimed at raising awareness on electoral rights ahead of the
Constitutional Referendum and Elections in 2011.Participants at this meeting
informed CCDZ on their being denied seed maize because they belong to the
MDC. They cited the culprits behind the acts as one Councillor Budwell
Chasara, a Mr. Musakanya who is an Agritex Extension worker, Maravanyika who
is a war veteran, Bhunu a Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officer and
Cornelious Koronga, a member of the ZANU PF District Coordinating Committee
in Hurungwe.
CCDZ was informed that the five are operating to openly exclude and deny any
purported supporter of MDC for accessing seed. The residents who attended
the meeting were bitter about this discrimination that blatantly violates
their Constitutionally enshrined freedoms of association and conscience.
The option of buying seed in retail shops is beyond the reach of many
ordinary Zimbabweans and the GMB provides the cheaper alternative to the
majority of Zimbabwe’s subsistence farmers such as those CCDZ met in
Magunje.
CCDZ denounces in the strongest terms the use of agricultural implements as
a political tool to punish those with divergent political views. We deplore
the flagrant abuse of authority by the councilor and the Agritex worker.
CCDZ calls upon the authorities such as the police and relevant ministries
to investigate these allegations by the public and to deal decisively with
any wrong doing and violations at GMB Hurungwe.
The meeting in Magunje was one in a series aimed at raising awareness on
electoral rights and pre-conditions for free and fair elections and the
constitutional referendum.
For more inormation on our work, please feel free to contact our Programme
Officers Tsungai Vere and Vellim Nyama on 04-776038 or visit our offices at
220 Samora Machel Ave, Eastlea, Harare.
Centre for Community Development