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| Chiredzi RDC offices |
…journalists expelled from
explosive community meeting
explosive community meeting
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Journalists from TellZim News, NewsDay and The Herald
were today expelled from a meeting involving villagers from Chilonga Irrigation
Scheme, Chiredzi Rural District Council (RDC) and the Minister of Local Government
minister July Moyo.
were today expelled from a meeting involving villagers from Chilonga Irrigation
Scheme, Chiredzi Rural District Council (RDC) and the Minister of Local Government
minister July Moyo.
The villagers are understood to
be resisting plans by government to give their land to dairy company Dendairy
which wants to use it for a lucerne grass farming project.
be resisting plans by government to give their land to dairy company Dendairy
which wants to use it for a lucerne grass farming project.
As the meeting was about to start
at Chiredzi Town Council offices, District Intelligence Officer (DIO) Joseph Urimbo
asked the media to go away.
at Chiredzi Town Council offices, District Intelligence Officer (DIO) Joseph Urimbo
asked the media to go away.
“You guys are being recused
from this meeting as it is a closed door meeting. All media are not allowed
here,” said Urimbo.
from this meeting as it is a closed door meeting. All media are not allowed
here,” said Urimbo.
However, he allowed a Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) reporter to stay behind before ordering police
officers to forcibly move away the reporters who had gathered some 20 metres
away from the venue.
Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) reporter to stay behind before ordering police
officers to forcibly move away the reporters who had gathered some 20 metres
away from the venue.
Dendairy is eyeing an approximate
10 000 hectares in Chiredzi South and East for lucerne farming, and the project
is expected to displace over 1000 families from their ancestral land.
10 000 hectares in Chiredzi South and East for lucerne farming, and the project
is expected to displace over 1000 families from their ancestral land.
Lurcene grass, also called
alfalfa, is used for making hay or animal fodder.
alfalfa, is used for making hay or animal fodder.
Some village sources say they cannot
cooperate with authorities as they fear yet another Chingwizi debacle.
cooperate with authorities as they fear yet another Chingwizi debacle.
From 2014, government moved
thousands of people from the vicinity of the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam which was still
under construction, to a barren piece of land at Chingwizi in MWenezi East
where they still live in overcrowded and squalid conditions with no basic
social amenities.
thousands of people from the vicinity of the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam which was still
under construction, to a barren piece of land at Chingwizi in MWenezi East
where they still live in overcrowded and squalid conditions with no basic
social amenities.
Compensation for the displaced
people has largely not been paid six years on although promises are made
whenever an election is around the corner.
people has largely not been paid six years on although promises are made
whenever an election is around the corner.
