Zanu PF’s scorched earth policies ruin Save Valley Conservancy
Thursday, 30 August 2012
The ongoing fight over land ownership at the productive and world renowned
Save Valley Conservancy has exposed the sunset party’s indigenisation and
empowerment programme, as only senior Zanu PF politicians are set to benefit
at the expense of thousands of ordinary Zimbabweans.
Senior Zanu PF politicians are at each other’s throats at the conservancy as
they fight for control, while the local communities who are supposed to be
the beneficiaries are being left out.
Just last month, some senior Zanu PF politicians including Titus Maluleke,
Shuvai Mahofa, Basil Nyabadza, Chiredzi South MP, Ailess Baloyi, Chiredzi
North MP, Ronald Ndama and Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Lovemore
Matuke, parcelled out 25 year leases to themselves at Save Valley
Conservancy.
These same politicians have in the past abused the land reform programme,
getting more than one farm each and underutilising these farms, which is
contributing to food shortages in the country while millions of Zimbabweans
remain landless, impoverished and unemployed.
The MDC is concerned by the disturbances at the lucrative conservancy, which
have seen potential tourists shunning the area and a serious decline in the
much needed government cash inflows.
Because of these fights, thousands of jobs are going to be lost at a time
when the people of Zimbabwe need more jobs. It is with such a background of
maliciousness, selfishness, irresponsible parcelling out of national
resources by Zanu PF leaders that the MDC has rubbished the intentions of
Zanu PF in the indigenisation and empowerment programme which is based on
patronage and clientelism.
The ill advised Zanu PF empowerment programme is not demand driven and is a
narrow model of transferring wealth to a few black elite and not genuine
wealth creation and distribution to the poor people of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabweans demand jobs, investment and upliftment in order for them to have
a better life through sustainable and environmentally friendly business
enterprises.
The Save Conservancy is home to thousands of animal species, most of which
already face extinction due to poaching and hunting. There is need to
protect our animals and the indigenous people who have lived in close
proximity with these animals, protecting them to make a living.
The MDC believes that a genuine broad based upliftment programme, which
balances the need to attract investment, grow the economy and create jobs
for all, must be developed to protect the country from further Zanu PF
plunder.
MDC @ 13 – The Last Mile towards Real Transformation!!!