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Nduduzo Tshuma Political Editor
THE Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Lazarus Dokora yesterday allayed fears over the closure of Cyrene High School after the farm where the institution is located was gazetted for land re-distribution.
Weekend reports quoted officials from the Anglican Church who administer the school as warning that the school and its clinic could be closed if the government did not reverse a takeover of the church’s farm.
The takeover of the farm for re-distribution by the government was announced through the Government Gazette of November 14, 2014.
Bishop Cleophas Lunga, the head of the church in Matabeleland, could not confirm that the church was contemplating the closure of Cyrene High School and Cyrene Clinic but said the acquisition of the farm “has far-reaching implications”.
Dokora yesterday said the history of land acquisition in the country had no precedent of a single school whose integrity was compromised by the exercise.
“The gazetting of the farm doesn’t necessarily mean that the school has been gazetted also. The Anglican Church should be talking to us and not to the press. If they’ve any problems they should approach us,” he said.
Dokora said he had no recollection of an incident where interests of a school had been compromised by land acquisition.
“I therefore want to believe that the record testifies to that integrity of the school as an institution,” he said.
Dokora said criteria was used in reserving the size of land where a school sits considering its enrolment, size and needs in terms of the practical subjects offered at the institution.
Built in 1939 and named after Simon of Cyrene who was forced to carry the cross at Jesus’ crucifixion, the school was established by Canon Paterson, an Anglican priest born in Scotland.
Work on Cyrene Mission began in 1936 when John Banks donated two farms, including a large house, to the then Anglican Diocese of Southern Rhodesia.
The school chapel was declared a National Monument in 1987.
The acquisition of the Cyrene Farm was done at the same time with the acquisition of Maleme Farm, also in Matobo District, a development that has riled local villagers.
Maleme Farm was allocated to Rodney Mashingaidze after the owner David Cunningham was given a notice of acquisition and ordered to leave the property on February 1 this year.
The villagers claim that Cunningham helped the local community with a number of self help projects to sustain themselves and was also assisting with sending children to school.
On the farm, there is a reported 125,000 chickens that form part of the community project and 80 students in the ranching section learning business administration and farming.
The property also has recreational facilities in the form of Maleme Dam, a chapel and hostel among other infrastructure.
A meeting was organised at the weekend by villagers and local traditional leaders to be addressed by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko in a bid to resolve the matter but the VP could not attend due to prior engagements.
A group of political activists then decided to hijack the process and after the weekend meeting, marched to the property where they allegedly ordered Mashingaidze’s workers to vacate the premises.
The chaos resulted in a reported 40 people being rounded up by the police on Monday.
Chief Nyangazonke, who had approached VP Mphoko to come and help solve the matter, yesterday confirmed the arrests and bemoaned the hijacking of the process by people with private agendas.
Speaking from Harare where he was attending to other business matters, the traditional leader said he received a message about the arrests.
“I got a message from someone that about 40 people have been arrested but I’m yet to get official confirmation. What I’m hearing now is that after our weekend meeting, some people went to the farm yard and started harassing Mashingaidze’s workers,” said Chief Nyangazonke.
“That wasn’t sanctioned by us and those people acted on their own. We don’t encourage such acts because already we’ve sent this matter to a higher office that we believe will assist in giving a lasting solution. The matter is now in the hands of VP Mphoko.”
Chief Nyangazonke said the matter had been hijacked by outsiders who have turned the matter away from the objectives of the locals.
Matabeleland South provincial affairs minister Cde Abednico Ncube yesterday referred Chronicle to Kezi.
“Why do you like lies instead of development. Go to Kezi and see for yourself. I haven’t received any reports of arrests. I rely on official communication from the police,” he said.
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