The Shangani people who met Chiwenga at Gibbo Stadium in
Chiredzi on Sunday reiterated that they were not prepared to be moved out of
Chilonga to create way for a grass project. They said they would be happy to be
offered sugarcane plots but not on any condition.
Chiwenga ordered the Minister of State for Masvingo, Ezra
Chadzamira during the meeting to allocate sugarcane fields to the Shangani by
removing some beneficiaries on the Kilimanjaro list. He said it was important
for more Shangani to get sugarcane fields because they owned the land in
Chiredzi.
He then urged the Shangani to accept the Lucerne grass
project which is supposed to remove 12 000 people from Chilonga
“Comrade Chadzamira I know that you have that list which
you want to send to Minister Anxious Masuka for the Kilimanjaro project. Please
redo the list and accommodate more Shanghani people,” said Chiwenga.
Headman Tiyani Chilonga however, told Chiwenga that the
Shangani were not ready to move. He said they are happy to get sugarcane plots
at Kilimanjaro for as long as this is not to entice them to surrender their
forefathers’ land in Chilonga.
“If we are not going to be displaced, we are fine with it,”
said Chilonga. Chiwenga then assured them that the Lucerne project was not
going to displace anyone as it was only meant to bring development to the
marginalized area.
Chiredzi Town council chairman Alderman Matsilele welcomed
Chiwenga’s stance and his instruction for more Shangani to get sugarcane fields
to the Shangaani.
“As long as development projects don’t displace our people
we embrace them. We are happy that you want us to benefit from Kilimanjaro
because we are in any case the owners of this land hence we have the right to
benefit,” said Matsilele. Masvingo
Mirror
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