MDC officials deny ‘joining’ land grab?
file photo
BY JENNIFER DUBE
Saturday, 12 June 2010 18:05
MIDLANDS’ governor Jason Machaya says he is scouting for farms to distribute to senior MDC-T officials in the province including Public Service Minister Eliphas Mukonoweshuro in a move that will raise questions about the former opposition party’s policy on land. Machaya said he was advised by the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement officials that Mukonoweshuro wanted land. He said another MDC-T MP was also on the waiting list. However, Mukonoweshuro said it was a smear campaign as he had never applied for land in line with his party’s policy.
MDC-T is critical of the way government has seized white commercial farms and parcelled them out to Zanu PF loyalists since 2000.
The unity government formed between Zanu PF and the two MDC formations in February last year has failed to stop the chaos on the farms with Zanu PF supporters still invading more properties. “It is true that the minister approached the Ministry of Lands from the head office with a request for a farm,” Machaya said.
“We were advised of his request through the permanent secretary and also that he prefers central estates which are good for cattle ranching.
“The Mvuma District Land Committee was tasked to see if they can get him something in that area and as soon as the land is identified, the minister will be advised accordingly.” Machaya said also on the waiting list were a number of government officials, including members from both MDC formations and Zanu PF.
“But they are waking up a bit too late because there are no more farms to give out in the province,” Machaya said.
“The problem is that a lot of our colleagues took their time to express their interests and now the land redistribution process is almost over.
“Mukonoweshuro only indicated interest just recently, sometime at the beginning of this year if I am not mistaken. “A number of officials are now just going where they think there is land because here in the Midlands for example, the lucky are managing to identify small A1 plots. “We are just trying and if we get anything sizeable, we will give the officials because the system is aware of their pending requests.”
Mukonoweshuro said some people were on a campaign to tarnish his image. “I never applied for a farm in the Midlands area or anywhere in Zimbabwe for that matter,” he said. “This is the second time such allegations have been made about me.
“The first time I was told that I approached someone in Mashonaland Central asking for a farm and now I am learning through you that I approached people in the Midlands with the same request.
“Go to the Ministry of Lands and ask them to show you the papers and you will find I never made such an application. “I have nothing to hide regarding this issue which I am certain is just a malicious fabrication by someone with an agenda to tarnish my name and that of my party.”
Mukonoweshuro said his party was currently waiting for a land audit and its members have other things to preoccupy themselves with than join those grabbing farms. While MDC-T spokesperson Nelson Chamisa was unreachable for comment, an official in the party said it was not possible for any of its members to apply for land under current conditions.
“As MDC, our position is that the land issue is irreversible and you will remember that we were the first to propose land redistribution even before (President Robert) Mugabe and Zanu PF embarked on the exercise,” the official said. “But as a party, we maintain our position that the current land reform exercise leaves a lot to be desired and we are not party to it.”
Posted by Dave Fish Eagle
on June 13, 2010. Filed under Main Headline.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Socialize
Recent Comments