Villagers complained over taking of their land
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Villagers in Chipinge South in Manicaland have complained bitterly over the
taking over of their land for the Chisumbanje Ethanol plant.
01.09.12
01:42pm
Speaking on condition of anonymity this week, one resident said many of the
villagers were displaced to make way for the sugar plantation yet the ARDA
field is not being utilized.
“Why was the war fought for? Why did we struggle? Why did we lose our
relatives? We heard that land is being redistributed for the black people,
but now the land is being taken from the blacks and given to Billy
Rautenbach. We have lost everything, including our livestock because we no
longer have the pastures or land to farm,” the irate villager said.
ARDA has 5100 hectares, which Macdom, Rautenbach’s company running the
Chisumbanje Ethanol project, should have taken over in terms of the Build,
Operate and Transfer agreement (BOT). However, only 2 400 hectares of the
available hectorage have been utilized for the sugarcane production. That
company went on to take 3 500 hectares from the surrounding communal lands
displacing hundreds of people.
Hon Mangoma, the Minister of Energy and Power Development said the issue of
Chisumbanje should not be politicised, but the law should be upheld.
“The illegal displacement of families should stop. The villagers are
seething, because their communal lands have been taken. Yes, we authorized
the use of ethanol to blend fuel, but we cannot make it mandatory that all
fuel in Zimbabwe should be blended. Whoever wants to fill their vehicles
with blended fuel, they can do so at service stations, while those who
prefer unleaded do so as well,” he said.
Hon Mangoma said it is prudent to give the people the freedom to choose the
fuel they want to use in their vehicles.
Rautenbach is a controversial business man with strong links in Zanu PF. In
the 1990’s he was wanted in South Africa where he faced hundreds of charges
of alleged fraud, corruption and other crimes including his connection with
his own South African company named Wheels of Africa Group.
Meanwhile, the MDC will over the weekend continue with peace rallies across
the country as a way of keeping the country informed on recent developments.
The rallies are meant to update the people on what is happening concerning
the draft constitution and many other positive developments undertaken by
the MDC since the inception of the Inclusive Government as well as the
hindrances the party has faced in the same period.
Hon Tendai Biti will on Sunday address a rally at Nyamakate Shopping centre
in Hurungwe North, Mashonaland West Province.
In Masvingo, the provincial leadership will hold two rallies in Gutu North
at Chinyika Business Centre and at Zimuto sidings Business Centre in
Masvingo North Constituencies tomorrow.