News / National
Maphisa villagers appease spirits of late elders buried at an area invaded by Arda
06 Nov 2016 at 11:31hrs | Views
Maphisa villagers in Matabeleland South gathered on Saturday to appease the spirits of their fathers and fore fathers who are buried at an area where the Agricultural Rural Development Authority (Arda) is expanding its irrigation project to.
This was revealed by Gwanda Resident Association Spokesperson Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo who said the villages around ARDA Maphisa in Matobo gathered for a traditional ceremony to appease the spirits of the elderly people of Matobo buried years ago in respected graves that are due to be demolished together with scores of homes to make way for the expansion of the ARDA estate under a deal between government and Trek Petroleum.
"These people have lived in this area for over a century after their forefathers were relocated by the colonial regime from their land to make way for farms and game parks around Matobo," he said.
"Today in an independent Zimbabwe led by our very own black government which claims to be a champion in land redistribution, the people of Matobo are finding themselves going through the very same fate their fore fathers experienced years ago in the hands of colonial settlers.
He said these people have pleaded with government to bear with them and spare them the evictions from their ancestral land and their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
"They have enlisted their leaders to speak for them nothing has come up. They opted for a collective demonstration to send their message through and instead they were arrested and harassed," he said.
"They have sadly given up and today its farewell day to their ancestors, whose graves will soon be tramped on by bulldozers and tractors. As human rights advocates and a community we are bound by conscience to be with the people of Matobo as they go through this ordeal. Kuzalunga Bantu kithi."
This was revealed by Gwanda Resident Association Spokesperson Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo who said the villages around ARDA Maphisa in Matobo gathered for a traditional ceremony to appease the spirits of the elderly people of Matobo buried years ago in respected graves that are due to be demolished together with scores of homes to make way for the expansion of the ARDA estate under a deal between government and Trek Petroleum.
"These people have lived in this area for over a century after their forefathers were relocated by the colonial regime from their land to make way for farms and game parks around Matobo," he said.
"Today in an independent Zimbabwe led by our very own black government which claims to be a champion in land redistribution, the people of Matobo are finding themselves going through the very same fate their fore fathers experienced years ago in the hands of colonial settlers.
He said these people have pleaded with government to bear with them and spare them the evictions from their ancestral land and their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
"They have enlisted their leaders to speak for them nothing has come up. They opted for a collective demonstration to send their message through and instead they were arrested and harassed," he said.
"They have sadly given up and today its farewell day to their ancestors, whose graves will soon be tramped on by bulldozers and tractors. As human rights advocates and a community we are bound by conscience to be with the people of Matobo as they go through this ordeal. Kuzalunga Bantu kithi."
Source - Byo24 News
