Nyabadza accused of abusing Mugabe's name

Agricultural Rural Development Authority (Arda) board chairperson Basil Nyabadza, has been accused of using President Robert Mugabe's name into hoodwinking Chisumbanje villagers to believe that land appropriated from them to pave way for the Green Fuel project was acceded to by the head of state.

Chisumbanje community representative group Platform for Youth Development (PYD) led by Claris Madhuku yesterday told the Portfolio committee meeting on Youth, Indigenisation and Empowerment that Nyabadza fobbed off a bitter land wrangle with the villagers by telling them that the president had endorsed the land grab.

This was after a land dispute erupted between the Chipinge South community members over land boundaries and land belonging to the communal farmers which had been allocated to Macdom Private Limited, the company that runs Green Fuel.

"Engagements with Basil Nyabadza were not always supported by convincing evidence leading to the affected communities resorting to confrontations," Madhuku said.

"It was in one such confrontation that Nyabadza allegedly told the community Mugabe  had already signed for the parcelling of land for the project and questioning the highest office in the land would do no good for the community."

Committee chairperson, Justice Wadyajena asked Madhuku if he implied that Nyabadza had abused the name of the president.

"From the statements which he told us at a public meeting, it would mean that he (Mugabe's name) could (have) been abused," Madhuku said.

The committee heard that the president had allegedly approved the parcelling out of 50 000 hectares of land belonging to the villagers to Green Fuel. The committee was informed that from 2012 to 2013 there were increased interactions with stakeholders from Chipinge Rural District Council (RDC), ministry of Lands and Agriculture, ministry of State Enterprise and Parastatals and the Prime Minister's Office in a bid to gain clarity on the land question.

According to former Chipinge East Councillor and community member Robinson Nyakurwa, the land that Arda was allegedly grabbing from the villagers under false pretences had never belonged to them.

"Arda claimed that they had land yet right from the beginning they were renting out a total of 5 112 hectares from the RDC," Nyakurwa said.

"For them to now claim portions of land belonging to the community and setting it aside for agriculture purposes is unjust.

"It is therefore befitting that this committee gives clarity on the situation and help us demystify the land issue so (that) the community can return to productivity."

The committee also heard that most families who have been displaced due to the Green Fuel project have to date not been adequately compensated.

"When the project was started  families were promised they would each receive $80 500 per household but to date this promise has not been fulfilled," Nyakurwa said.

Attempts by other legislators from Manicaland to dismiss the group failed as Wadyajena said the youth group had the right to be heard by Parliament.

"We are therefore asking this committee to ensure the outstanding compensation due to the families is paid," Madhuku said.