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Zanu PF's scorched earth policies ruin Save Valley Conservancy
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
August 30, 2012

The ongoing fight over land ownership at the productive and world renowned Save Valley Conservancy has exposed the sunset party's indigenisation and empowerment programme, as only senior Zanu PF politicians are set to benefit at the expense of thousands of ordinary Zimbabweans.

Senior Zanu PF politicians are at each other's throats at the conservancy as they fight for control, while the local communities who are supposed to be the beneficiaries are being left out.

Just last month, some senior Zanu PF politicians including Titus Maluleke, Shuvai Mahofa, Basil Nyabadza, Chiredzi South MP, Ailess Baloyi, Chiredzi North MP, Ronald Ndama and Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Lovemore Matuke, parceled out 25 year leases to themselves at Save Valley Conservancy.

These same politicians have in the past abused the land reform programme, getting more than one farm each and under utilising these farms, which is contributing to food shortages in the country while millions of Zimbabweans remain landless, impoverished and unemployed.

The MDC is concerned by the disturbances at the lucrative conservancy, which have seen potential tourists shunning the area and a serious decline in the much needed government cash inflows.

Because of these fights, thousands of jobs are going to be lost at a time when the people of Zimbabwe need more jobs. It is with such a background of maliciousness, selfishness, irresponsible parcelling out of national resources by Zanu PF leaders that the MDC has rubbished the intentions of Zanu PF in the indigenisation and empowerment programme which is based on patronage and clientelism.

The ill advised Zanu PF empowerment programme is not demand driven and is a narrow model of transferring wealth to a few black elite and not genuine wealth creation and distribution to the poor people of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabweans demand jobs, investment and upliftment in order for them to have a better life through sustainable and environmentally friendly business enterprises.

The Save Conservancy is home to thousands of animal species, most of which already face extinction due to poaching and hunting. There is need to protect our animals and the indigenous people who have lived in close proximity with these animals, protecting them to make a living.

The MDC believes that a genuine broad based upliftment programme, which balances the need to attract investment, grow the economy and create jobs for all, must be developed to protect the country from further Zanu PF plunder.

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