 |
| Addmore Hwarare |
…as Hwarare attempts political
resurrection
Beatific
Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI
– The
Commercial Sugarcane Farmers Association of Zimbabwe (CSFAZ) chairperson Addmore
Hwarare has suggested a stop order facility for members of his organisation who
mill their cane with Tongaat Hulett in order to create new funding for Zanu PF.
Hwarare, who is politically dead,
is probably attempting a resurrection by forcing sugarcane farmers to fund Zanu
PF activities during the run-up to the 2023 elections.
Speaking at a recent Zanu PF
inter-district meeting at Chitsanga Hall, Hwarare pledged to influence members
of his association to directly fund Zanu PF District Coordinating Committees
(DCCs) using their earnings.
“I have money and you can all
testify. So we agreed to design a stop order, where money will be directly
deducted from each farmer’s account with Tongaat straight into Zanu PF’s
account. I have a gift to convince all those I lead as I am a leader who is
guided by the Holy Spirit,” said Hwarare.
The former Zanu PF provincial
political commissar, whose political star sharply fell over a couple of years
back, said the new funding would be vital for the construction of new party
offices when Chiredzi Town Council availed the land which was applied for.
“I can introduce myself as
‘Mureri wenherera nevafumi veZanu PF mafarmers’. I appreciate Zanu PF made us
to be who we are as farmers. You asked for a stand to construct Zanu PF
offices; they cannot be built with stores or leaves, they are built with money.
“We made solidarity last week
with DCC chairmen. We agreed, with your permission to design a system on a way
to sponsor Zanu PF because we benefitted from it.
Hwarare also said the immense wealth
in sugarcane farming business was the reason why land was now being sold ‘on
the black market’ was that there is money in sugarcane, which should be
benefitting the locals.
“We benefitted from the Land Reform
Programme so there is no way we can run away from working with you as a party.
There is money in sugarcane farming, that’s why you see many people trying to
corruptly acquire land. It proves the reason why you see many youths crying
that they need to be considered in the allocation of land which is currently
benefitting those from Harare only,” claimed Hwarare.
Speaking on condition of
anonymity, some members of CSFAZ vowed to resist Hwarare’s plan for a Zanu
PF-linked stop order facility, saying it would be like forcing people into
associating with political interests they do not like.
“We fear it would be a matter of
covert coercion because no member of the association would want to opt out and
risk being given unfriendly labels. You won’t be able to freely disassociate
yourself from it because they will accuse you of being an opposition
sympathiser,” said the source.
Hwarare, whose mandate expired in
November 2020, filed a High Court application to stop CSFAZ from conducting its
Annual General Meeting (AGM) to choose his successor, saying the country was
still taking measures to contain Covid-19 and gatherings would therefore not be
good.
