News / Local
Insiza Farmers Resist Zanu-PF Conference Extortion Bid
23 Nov 2011 at 09:29hrs | Views
FARMERS in Insiza North in Matabeleland South province, among them Zapu members and supporters, on Sunday 20 November, 2011 resisted attempts by Zanu-PF to extort donations from them to fund its so-called national conference to be held in Bulawayo next month.
Zanu-PF Insiza district official Aggripa Ndlukula, in the company of an accomplice only identified as Moyo, gate-crashed an Insiza/Shangani Farmers Association meeting at Shangani Farmers Hall and told farmers to donate towards the Zanu-PF conference, threatening that those who did not would lose the land.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union Matabeleland South provincial chairman, Mr Ernesrt Ndlovu, who is a local farmer, told Ndlukula and Moyo that the land was for all the people of Zimbabwe regardless of political affiliation, and their threats were therefore misplaced. The vice chairman of the Insiza/Shangani farmers association, Mr Nehemiah Nyathi also told the two gentlemen that "things have changed" and farmers would not allow political parties to hold them at ransom anymore.
Realizing that their threats were backfiring, Ndlukula and Moyo backtracked, saying only those who were willing should donate.
Zapu said it has cross checked with several of its members and supporters who attended the meeting to verify these details.
In a statement, Zapu said, "For the record, Zapu led and won the fight for the restoration of land rights to the majority of the people. Our party is totally against the partisan allocation of land, and using land allocation to hold people hostage, as is being done by Zanu-PF. The land belongs to all the people of Zimbabwe, regardless of their political affiliation, race, tribe or other creed. Zapu warns those victimizing others like is being done in Insiza North that they may soon find themselves in a weaker political position. Would they wish to be treated the same manner they are treating others now?"
"Zapu, the founder and authentic liberation movement of Zimbabwe, is ready and willing to fight for the people's right to land, like we did during the liberation struggle. We urge the people of Zimbabwe to resist threats and coercion, like the Insiza/Shangani farmers did on Sunday. We also call on Zanu-PF to live by their leader President Mugabe's words calling for an end to violence and intimidation," said the statement.
Zanu-PF Insiza district official Aggripa Ndlukula, in the company of an accomplice only identified as Moyo, gate-crashed an Insiza/Shangani Farmers Association meeting at Shangani Farmers Hall and told farmers to donate towards the Zanu-PF conference, threatening that those who did not would lose the land.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union Matabeleland South provincial chairman, Mr Ernesrt Ndlovu, who is a local farmer, told Ndlukula and Moyo that the land was for all the people of Zimbabwe regardless of political affiliation, and their threats were therefore misplaced. The vice chairman of the Insiza/Shangani farmers association, Mr Nehemiah Nyathi also told the two gentlemen that "things have changed" and farmers would not allow political parties to hold them at ransom anymore.
Zapu said it has cross checked with several of its members and supporters who attended the meeting to verify these details.
In a statement, Zapu said, "For the record, Zapu led and won the fight for the restoration of land rights to the majority of the people. Our party is totally against the partisan allocation of land, and using land allocation to hold people hostage, as is being done by Zanu-PF. The land belongs to all the people of Zimbabwe, regardless of their political affiliation, race, tribe or other creed. Zapu warns those victimizing others like is being done in Insiza North that they may soon find themselves in a weaker political position. Would they wish to be treated the same manner they are treating others now?"
"Zapu, the founder and authentic liberation movement of Zimbabwe, is ready and willing to fight for the people's right to land, like we did during the liberation struggle. We urge the people of Zimbabwe to resist threats and coercion, like the Insiza/Shangani farmers did on Sunday. We also call on Zanu-PF to live by their leader President Mugabe's words calling for an end to violence and intimidation," said the statement.
Source - Zapu
