In a shock move, Zanu PF chairman for Masvingo Province Ezra Chadzamira has told
supporters that 10 000 of the 29 000 hectares of irrigable land at the recently
opened Tugwi-Mukosi Dam have been reserved for party leaders.
He said 2 000 Zanu PF leaders, all from Masvingo including councillors,
chairpersons, district and provincial executives are earmarked to get five
hectares each.
Most of these leaders already own several farms each,
sugarcane plots and are land barons with swathes of urban stands from earlier
Government empowerment projects.
Chadzamira's utterances come as a surprise to many
Zimbabweans who had hoped that the new dispensation under President Emmerson
Mnangagwa would usher in a new era of fairness, economic prudence and justice.
Chadzamira's populist stance is contrary to earlier
sentiments that land at the US$260m Tugwi-Mukorsi Dam would largely be
allocated on commercial lines in order for the country to optimize benefits
from exports and foreign currency earnings.
Experts also hoped that priority would be given to
thousands of unemployed degreed agricultural
graduates.
Chadzamira was speaking at a party inter-district meeting
at Chitsanga Hall in Chiredzi on Wednesday last week.
Chadzamira himself recently pushed a 70 year old white
woman Yvone Goddard out of her $500 000 farm house of 45 years and he is now
staying there as the new owner. Goddard has since been living close to
destitution.
Politburo member, Lovemore Matuke who was at the meeting
emphasised that Zanu PF was going to get the land.
Chadzamira said the new Zanu PF programme at Tugwi – Mukosi is taking place as part of the
devolution of power from Harare to Provinces.
An economic expert who declined to be named told The Mirror
that it is such populist stances that are bringing down the economy.
"We want to see all our leaders having something to do
in life. They must benefit from their party. I sat down with the Minister of
State and will sit with all council executives over that issue.
"Tugwi Mukosi master plan is now out and there are 29
000 hectares of irrigable land. Our party leaders in Masvingo are less than 2
000 in number so what is wrong if all the leaders are given 5 hectares each at
Tugwi Mukosi and that will only translate to 10 000 hectares of the 29 000
hectares. We are working on achieving that as a province," said
Chadzamira.
The Mirror is informed that Masvingo Development Trust
(MDT) which is wholly owned by Zanu PF is also looking at getting 15 000
hectares from the same scheme and this will leave just 4 000 hectares for
anyone else who may want to come in outside the party ticket.
Tugwi –Mukosi is Zimbabwe's biggest inland dam built on tax
payers' money. It holds 1.8 billion cubic metre of water when it is full and
there are several other activities that are planned for the Dam including
hotels, water games, fishing and a wildlife park.
The irrigable land is mainly targeted for sugarcane.
Masvingo Mirror
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