Chinese farmers not paying workers in Mashonaland Central

Farm workers at Wilmode farm in Mvurwi Mashonaland Central demonstrated against their Chinese employer who were allegedly forcing them to accept their wages in kind.



When Bulawayo24.com arrived at the farm the pandemonium had been eased by Mvurwi police who went with sniffer dogs after they were called by the Chinese.

Speaking to Bulawayo24.com the farmers blasted the Chinese for ill-treating them in their mother land.

"The Chinese are ill-treating us especially towards month end when we will be about to get our wages they bring new methods of payment.

Just yesterday we were told to expect groceries or risk losing our jobs," said Tendai Saini.

Another farmer blasted police interference in a peaceful demonstration as it brought terror in them.

"I believe the police were hired to instil terror in us we demonstrated peacefully but after we saw sniffer dogs we complied with the Chinese's plea but this is our country," shouted Romio Jeni.

 The Chinese official identified as Xhen refused to speak to the media and referred all questions their farm manager Boniface Kamuntu who said the dust settled after the police intervened as most workers were saying ecstatically drumming demanding their wages.

"The workers were not happy with grocery incentives instead they wanted cash.

Yesterday they spent the part of the night singing and drumming up until they destroyed a gate hence the Chinese called the police just to restore peace and they have reached a consensus that they get half cash and half groceries," Kamuntu.

However, a labour representative who spoke on condition of anonymity castigated the Chinese for paying in kind.

"What the Chinese are doing is very unlawful you cannot pay in kind for a service further requesting the poor farmers to have Eco cash accounts yet they know fully well that they do not have identity cards," explained the source.