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Farm workers tortured in Chegutu
By tapiwaz
Submitted on 1 May, 2009 - 08:39
ShareThisFour farm workers were last week savagely beaten for talking to Deputy Prime Minister Authur Mutambara during his visit to ascertain the farm invasions in Chegutu. According to Chegutu West Ward 9 Councillor, Edward Dzeka, the four workers from Twyford Farm, which has been occupied by ZANU (PF) Senator Jamaya Muduvuri, told Mutambara about the incidents at the farm which is barricaded by ZANU (PF) youth militia. But soon after Mutambara left, the youths descended on all those who had talked to Mutambara and only four were caught and savagely beaten.
“They cannot even walk and they have not been taken to hospital because they need a police report and the police are adamant to look into the case; the four are also accused of being members of the ZCTU affiliated, GAPWUZ trade union,” said Dzeka. GAPWUZ has among other ZCTU affiliate unions, been accused by the ZANU (PF) government of campaigning for the MDC. GAPWUZ officials countrywide have also been victimised for trying to represent the farm workers who are unjustifiably evicted from their workplaces as a result of the ongoing land grab.
Twyford farm was among the farms visited by a ministerial delegation led by Mutambara and the deputy and he ordered the Jamaya to 'peacefully cohabit' with the farm's owners without interfering with farming activities, up to the time when government makes a decision about the farm attacks. But within three hours of the ministerial delegation leaving, the farm had been barricaded by invaders and the farm owners have not been allowed back on the land.
Jamaya is alleged to have scoffed at Mutambara’s suggestions claiming that the “MDC leader “will not tell him what to do. Jamaya is also alleged to have told his youths not to allow the white owner, Catherine Meredith, to come back to the farm or to reap her crops.
Dzeka said the four workers are yet to be taken to a hospital after the police allegedly refused to attend to the issue. “I have since approached Matibe (Member of parliament for Chegutu West Thakalani) to talk to the police so that they can investigate the issue,” said DzekaMatibe could not comment on the issue but confirmed that such incidents had taken place. “I have approached the police and they say they are undertaking investigations of the cases,” he said.
In a related incident, the youths at the farm are allegedly forcing young boys and girls to go to ‘bases’ where they are made to sing all night and to chant ZANU (PF) slogans. The youths, most of them of school going age, are being taken to bases so that they do not defy the youths’ quest to take over the farm,” Dzeka told The Zimbabwean.