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Veteran NCA activist arrested
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
April 15, 2011

Veteran NCA activist and Platform for Youth Development (PYD) Coordinator Claris Madhuku was yesterday 14 April 2011 arrested during a meeting with community leaders at Rimbi outside UCCZ Church in Birchnough Bridge.

Madhuku is being charged for holding an illegal meeting which has not been sanctioned by the police, he is detained at Chisumbanje Police Station and due to appear in court today.

The meeting, organised by the Platform for Youth Development was discussing about the land dispute between Macdom Investments and the locals. Macdom Investiment has claimed the land which traditionally belonged to the Chisumbanje people as their communal land.

The NCA condemns the arrest and hence will continue guarding against rights of citizens being suppressed through the suppressive tools of the state.

In the 2008-9 season, Macdom destroyed over 135 hectares of maize and cotton belonging to the residents on the strength that he has offer letters from the government signed by the President of Zimbabwe R.G Mugabe and the Deputy President Joyce Mujuru.

The same scenario was repeated in the 2009-10 season where up to 150 hectares of ready maize and cotton were ploughed down.

PYD has been working tirelessly with the Chisumbanje community in assisting them reclaim their land. Early this year the organization submitted a petition via the Minister of State and Enterprises Mr. Goden Moyo and copied to the President and Cabinet, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Minister of Lands and Agriculture to that effect.

PYD demands that Macdom Investments be officially barred from interfering with the communal land belonging to the residents of Chisumbanje.

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