News / National
War vets lock out govt official
03 Aug 2019 at 09:53hrs | Views
ABOUT 15 Chivhu war veterans on Tuesday demonstrated against alleged maladministration by the district development co-ordinator Michael Mariga and locked him out of his office.
The war veterans accused Mariga of allocating land without following proper procedures, which had caused some misunderstandings among land owners in the district.
They also accused Mariga of disrespecting them and sidelining them from the affairs of the district.
The war veterans gathered at Mariga's office at the Range offices, some 15km from Chivhu town, waving placards, singing and chanting slogans.
They then put key blockers on his office locks.
"The office is ours. Chivhu is ours. You are a mere employee, so you can't disrespect us. You must go," they sang.
Some of the placards were written, "Mariga, why do you hate war vets that much?", "Why don't you want war vets in lands meetings?", "You wrote a letter to the political commissar lying that war vets were selling State land. Prove it."
Mariga could not be reached for a comment as he continuously dropped calls from NewsDay Weekender.
Chikomba War Veterans Association chairperson Joachim Chivandire said he was attending meetings in Marondera and could not comment.
"I am in Marondera for some meetings. I will get in touch when I get back to Chivhu," he said.
A war veteran, who participated in the demonstration and agreed to comment on condition of anonymity, said there was bad blood between the freedom fighters and Mariga which had been derailing development in the district, hence they had to organise a demonstration to alert higher authorities.
"We tried several means to amicably resolve our differences with Mariga, but to no avail. We couldn't let the situation continue like that, so we had to lock him out of his office," she said.
Early this year, a war veteran, Justice Munhapa, was fined $30 at the Chivhu Magistrates' Courts for insulting Mariga and calling him a liar during a lands meeting.
The war veterans accused Mariga of allocating land without following proper procedures, which had caused some misunderstandings among land owners in the district.
They also accused Mariga of disrespecting them and sidelining them from the affairs of the district.
The war veterans gathered at Mariga's office at the Range offices, some 15km from Chivhu town, waving placards, singing and chanting slogans.
They then put key blockers on his office locks.
"The office is ours. Chivhu is ours. You are a mere employee, so you can't disrespect us. You must go," they sang.
Mariga could not be reached for a comment as he continuously dropped calls from NewsDay Weekender.
Chikomba War Veterans Association chairperson Joachim Chivandire said he was attending meetings in Marondera and could not comment.
"I am in Marondera for some meetings. I will get in touch when I get back to Chivhu," he said.
A war veteran, who participated in the demonstration and agreed to comment on condition of anonymity, said there was bad blood between the freedom fighters and Mariga which had been derailing development in the district, hence they had to organise a demonstration to alert higher authorities.
"We tried several means to amicably resolve our differences with Mariga, but to no avail. We couldn't let the situation continue like that, so we had to lock him out of his office," she said.
Early this year, a war veteran, Justice Munhapa, was fined $30 at the Chivhu Magistrates' Courts for insulting Mariga and calling him a liar during a lands meeting.
Source - newsday
