By Zororai Nkomo Own correspondent
Zimbabwe communal farmers in Goromonzi foresee bleak future due to the alleged ongoing communal land seizures which are being turned into urban residential stands by the Goromonzi Rural District Council without their consent.
Goromonzi Simukai Resident Trust Coordinator John Manyanya said residents are now living in fear of loosing their arable land after the rural district council has gone into rampage of turning their lands into urban stands.
maize crop
“In Goromonzi communal farming and grazing lands, and homestead plots are being seized by the District Council without following any protocols of consultation with affected families, or raising any prospect of compensation” said Simukai Resident Trust Co-ordinator Jonh Manyanya.
He said turning of their farming lands into urban residential stands has condemned Goromonzi rural community to poverty since farming and gardening is their source of livelihood.
“Community livelihoods have been drastically affected as a result of loss of agricultural incomes in Goromonzi. Still the Goromonzi District Council insists it will convert all communal lands within seven kilometers of Goromonzi Post Office into a suburban residential district” he lamented.
He further posited that the alleged dubious land dealing in their communal areas is being exacerbated by rampant corruption between council official and traditional chiefs and headsman.
“In the midst of all this some traditional leaders are involved in dubious land dealings, in the hope of making a quick buck on the land which is rapidly becoming scarce. The wealthy are buying up whole tracts of communal land, while the vulnerable poor are oftentimes asked to demolish the little they have and relocate wherever” he said.
Co-ordinator John Manyanya they are saddened by the politicization of any means of trying to engage the council to discuss their plights as residents.
“Any resistance to their activities is branded the work of political opposition MDC detractors. Cowed and in fear, the predominantly elderly population in Goromonzi lives in perpetual anxiety about their future” he said.
Goromonzi ward 16 Councilor Charles Majuru acknowledged the issue said he is aware of the matter but not sure about the exact date the urgent meeting to solve the issue with all stakeholders in Goromonzi community will take place.
“I know there are issues concerning our communal land, I think these issues needs to be settled by the land commission. We proposed for an urgent meeting with headsman, District Administrator and Chief to finalize the issue as soon as possible” said councilor Majuru.
Investigations have shown that villages threatened by compulsory acquisitions of land by the Goromonzi Rural District Council which are within the seven kilometers radius of Goromonzi Post office in Goromonzi Ward 16, includes in particular Yafele, Nemhara, Muchatuta, Gwaze, Chiketero, Chibamu, Chinyani, Ngazembi, Chaitezvi, Mudzudzu and Tapfumaneyi village.
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