Tension is rising in Chiredzi’s Malipati area after several villagers were summoned by the local chief following a land dispute with their headman.
The controversy began when villagers served their headman only identified as Manzini, stopping him from forcing them to donate land to third parties.
Tazi Muchekelwa who is the defendant was summoned and was asked to appear before court at Davata Community Hall on May 28.
Muchekelwa is being accused of influencing the community to disrupt and undermine the Malipati Agrihub, a community driven project.
A letter dated May 1, addressed to the village head, James Dube and copied to Chief Sengwe and the Malipati Farmers Association, the villagers highlighted the pressure and coercion the village head is exerting to force them to donate their ancestral land to third-party investors.
The affected villagers led by Muchekelwa, John Dube, Joseph Mungowa, and Felina Ncube spoke out after Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (Cotrad) conducted a series of community dialogue meetings in Malipati.
Cotrad later helped the villagers to engage the services of Matutu and Mureri legal practitioners.
The situation has escalated with plans to forcibly remove over 15 families, evidenced by the installation of fencing and the employment of security guards to keep landowners away.
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“The main reason for this is because members of the community have expressed feelings of betrayal by the agreements that allow land to be appropriate for agricultural purposes, with current cultivations of maize, sorghum, and beans managed exclusively by the investors,” the letter reads in part.
“The benefits of these crops are limited to those who consented to the land deals, denying equitable access to the wider Malipati community.
“We called for greater transparency surrounding the terms of these agreements and the anticipated benefits from the investors, despite efforts to engage with the investors and local authorities, community members report frustration and a lack of responsiveness from those in power.”
These actions are seen as a violation of the community’s socio-cultural and economic rights, eroding their traditional ways of life.
Cotrad Action for Accountability Groups focusing on the detrimental impacts of land grabs, has documented human rights violations related to the right to land and livelihood in the Malipati area.
Cotrad will provide platforms of dialogue so that they demand accountability from the corporations involved and emphasise the urgent need for the implementation of policies that protect vulnerable communities from exploitation.
