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The people of Chisumbanje appreciate Minister Mangoma
Platform for Youth Development
June 28, 2012

More than a thousand villagers and key stakeholders in Chisumbanje were accorded a rare opportunity to speak out their grievances in the Chisumbanje land dispute. A consultation made by the Minister of Energy Mr Elton Mangoma was able to satisfy the community representatives, who appreciated such an opportunity to meet a government Minister who was keen to listen. These consultations took place from the 20th to the 22nd of June 2012 in Chisumbanje, Chipinge.

Those who were consulted included traditional leadership, civic society, members of Parliament, employees and management of Green fuel/Macdom.Infact, all interested parties to Chisumbanje land dispute had a platform to speak to the minister. 500 people constituted the crowd that gathered at Chisumbanje Primary school, with the same number also meeting gathering at Chinyamukwakwa business centre. Chisumbanje and Chinyamukwakwa areas remain the hot spots for this escalating land and boundary conflict.

The consultations were purported to assist Minister Mangoma to understand the currents of the Chisumbanje Ethanol plant on the livelihood of the community at large. Minister Mangoma has been given names when he refused the idea of mandatory blending and unconditional licensing of the company without understanding the impact of the project .The community made the following deliberations and resolutions, which sometimes have been misrepresented by those in pursuit of profit and political power:

• ARDA and Green fuel/Macdom have permission to continue operating within a boundary of 5112 hectares of land which is not under dispute. The villagers have their memory strong on where the boundary of ARDA starts and ends. The villagers want the investor to do business only where ARDA used to occupy (this land is well known to all parties). Should there be need to cross the boundary, then necessary consultative processes must take place between and among the key stakeholders that involves the company, ARDA, government of Zimbabwe and the community. Since this process was not done, there was no relationship to talk about. The communal land belongs to the community and until otherwise a decree is made by the President under formal consultations have taken place. The community is prepared to defend their heritage to the life and death levels.
  
• Green fuel/Macdom was warned to abandon her superior tactics of intimidation and invasion. The investor has been destructing community ready crops since 2008 on the promises of employment and that they had government permission. These promises and lies have since been exposed as people are not willing to be dispossessed of their hard fought land. Community representatives expressed that they are now poorer since the coming of the investor. People have been displaced with some going to Mozambique while others South Africa. The conflict and controversy introduced by the investor has made the community insecure and vulnerable due to increased political interference by some heavy weights in Zimbabwean politics. The grazing areas for cattle have been violently taken while desecrating the local cemeteries and mosques. The traditional set up of the community has been violated exposing and interfering with people's belief systems. Because the gods angry, the community does not bless the company operations.
  
• The government is being called to act. That Minister Mangoma must take more responsibility beyond listening to inform other governmental stakeholders that the Ethanol Plant is welcome on condition that the community is allowed to function as before. The real situation is that there are environmental concerns where livelihood has been disrupted health wise. The President and Prime Minister of the inclusive government must give this dispute more time or it shall be the undoing of their time, since the community will resist.
  
• Should relations between the company and the community be repaired, there is need to consider a 75% employment ratio for the community. As it stands the company depends on expatriates' employees who are not from the area and are readily and always mobilised to frustrate efforts by the local community to seek justice.

Minister Mangoma promised that he would take up the matter to the cabinet with renewed energy since he had listened attentively.Mr Mangoma is not the only one to visit the area. Prime Minister Tsvangirai was also invited by villagers last year, but nothing much has improved. Many senior government officials in the like of Minister of Agriculture Joseph Made have visited. The Governor of Manicaland Christopher Mushowe also visited but has not been interested in the version of the community.

Platform for Youth Development is encouraged with the feeling that the matter will be discussed in parliament and cabinet once more. PYD will always represents the voice of the community as from the mandate given. Justice delayed is justice denied.

Visit the Platform for Youth Development fact sheet

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