THE Matobo Community Development Forum (MCDF) has condemned Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) and its partners Trek Petroleum Company for fuelling discord in the district.
BY PRIVILEGE SHOKO
This follows reports that Trek Petroleum Company had continued with its expansion projects and was encroaching into villagers’ farming land after a deal with Arda.
The firm is said to have invaded Mapani Ranch near Kezi.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, MCDF director Anglistone Sibanda rapped Arda and Trek Petroleum for being insensitive to the plight of the community.
“We are concerned by the developments in the land distribution in our district and these developments are against the provision of the supreme law of the land,” Sibanda said.
“These developments work against the spirit of unity and progress that those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the war of liberation envisaged.”
Sibanda said the actions by Arda were against the provisions of government’s economic blueprint, Zimbabwe Agenda for Social and Economic Transformation.
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“We abhor the actions by Arda that do not promote a spirit of people-centred development as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe, but seeks to displace villagers without providing them with an alternative irrespective of the fact that the land is a communal land,” he said.
“There is no way Trek can work with angry villagers and also without the knowledge of the traditional leaders in the district.”
The association appealed to the Lands and Rural Resettlement ministry to disband the Matobo District lands committee.
“The same committee which allocated Rodney Mashingaidze land under dubious circumstances has allocated Khanye Mhlahlandlela on Mineral King Farm that houses the Big Cave for agricultural purposes despite the area being 60% granite,” he added.
Matabeleland South has been rocked by a number of land disputes this year with the fight over Maleme Ranch in Matobo being the most prominent incident.
The government was three months ago forced to reverse the allocation of the ranch to Mashingaidze, a Central Intelligence Organisation operative after villagers protested the move.
