News / National
Sugarcane farmers to fund Zanu-PF
22 May 2021 at 19:58hrs | Views
The Commercial Sugarcane Farmers Association of Zimbabwe (CSFAZ) chairperson Addmore Hwarare has suggested a stop order facility for members of his organisation who mill their cane with Tongaat Hulett in order to create new funding for Zanu-PF.
Hwarare, who is politically dead, is probably attempting a resurrection by forcing sugarcane farmers to fund Zanu-PF activities during the run-up to the 2023 elections.
Speaking at a recent Zanu-PF inter-district meeting at Chitsanga Hall, Hwarare pledged to influence members of his association to directly fund Zanu-PF District Coordinating Committees (DCCs) using their earnings.
"I have money and you can all testify. So we agreed to design a stop order, where money will be directly deducted from each farmer's account with Tongaat straight into Zanu-PF's account. I have a gift to convince all those I lead as I am a leader who is guided by the Holy Spirit," said Hwarare.
The former Zanu-PF provincial political commissar, whose political star sharply fell over a couple of years back, said the new funding would be vital for the construction of new party offices when Chiredzi Town Council availed the land which was applied for.
"I can introduce myself as 'Mureri wenherera nevafumi veZanu-PF mafarmers'. I appreciate Zanu-PF made us to be who we are as farmers. You asked for a stand to construct Zanu-PF offices; they cannot be built with stores or leaves, they are built with money.
"We made solidarity last week with DCC chairmen. We agreed, with your permission to design a system on a way to sponsor Zanu-PF because we benefitted from it.
Hwarare also said the immense wealth in sugarcane farming business was the reason why land was now being sold ‘on the black market' was that there is money in sugarcane, which should be benefitting the locals.
"We benefitted from the Land Reform Programme so there is no way we can run away from working with you as a party. There is money in sugarcane farming, that's why you see many people trying to corruptly acquire land. It proves the reason why you see many youths crying that they need to be considered in the allocation of land which is currently benefitting those from Harare only," claimed Hwarare.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, some members of CSFAZ vowed to resist Hwarare's plan for a Zanu-PF-linked stop order facility, saying it would be like forcing people into associating with political interests they do not like.
"We fear it would be a matter of covert coercion because no member of the association would want to opt out and risk being given unfriendly labels. You won't be able to freely disassociate yourself from it because they will accuse you of being an opposition sympathiser," said the source.
Hwarare, whose mandate expired in November 2020, filed a High Court application to stop CSFAZ from conducting its Annual General Meeting (AGM) to choose his successor, saying the country was still taking measures to contain Covid-19 and gatherings would therefore not be good.
Hwarare, who is politically dead, is probably attempting a resurrection by forcing sugarcane farmers to fund Zanu-PF activities during the run-up to the 2023 elections.
Speaking at a recent Zanu-PF inter-district meeting at Chitsanga Hall, Hwarare pledged to influence members of his association to directly fund Zanu-PF District Coordinating Committees (DCCs) using their earnings.
"I have money and you can all testify. So we agreed to design a stop order, where money will be directly deducted from each farmer's account with Tongaat straight into Zanu-PF's account. I have a gift to convince all those I lead as I am a leader who is guided by the Holy Spirit," said Hwarare.
The former Zanu-PF provincial political commissar, whose political star sharply fell over a couple of years back, said the new funding would be vital for the construction of new party offices when Chiredzi Town Council availed the land which was applied for.
"I can introduce myself as 'Mureri wenherera nevafumi veZanu-PF mafarmers'. I appreciate Zanu-PF made us to be who we are as farmers. You asked for a stand to construct Zanu-PF offices; they cannot be built with stores or leaves, they are built with money.
"We made solidarity last week with DCC chairmen. We agreed, with your permission to design a system on a way to sponsor Zanu-PF because we benefitted from it.
Hwarare also said the immense wealth in sugarcane farming business was the reason why land was now being sold ‘on the black market' was that there is money in sugarcane, which should be benefitting the locals.
"We benefitted from the Land Reform Programme so there is no way we can run away from working with you as a party. There is money in sugarcane farming, that's why you see many people trying to corruptly acquire land. It proves the reason why you see many youths crying that they need to be considered in the allocation of land which is currently benefitting those from Harare only," claimed Hwarare.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, some members of CSFAZ vowed to resist Hwarare's plan for a Zanu-PF-linked stop order facility, saying it would be like forcing people into associating with political interests they do not like.
"We fear it would be a matter of covert coercion because no member of the association would want to opt out and risk being given unfriendly labels. You won't be able to freely disassociate yourself from it because they will accuse you of being an opposition sympathiser," said the source.
Hwarare, whose mandate expired in November 2020, filed a High Court application to stop CSFAZ from conducting its Annual General Meeting (AGM) to choose his successor, saying the country was still taking measures to contain Covid-19 and gatherings would therefore not be good.
Source - tellzim
