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“There are certain politicians coming here to denigrate the project telling villagers to demand back their plots that are part of the sugarcane plantation.
“Most of the villagers are in subsistence farming and we were hoping that because of the project we would be able to access some of the irrigation facilities under the outgrowers scheme.”
Zanu-PF Central Committee member and former Chipinge South legislator, Cde Enock Porusingazi, said the community was dismayed by resistance shown to the project.
“Many of our youths had found employment at the project. The plant was employing youths from the villages and we are dismayed that there are people working against the project.
“We are calling on Government to introduce mandatory blending so that we start benefiting from such an investment.”
Another villager, Mrs Handina Mundeta, had no kind words for the political leadership in the area.
“There are people working hard against the project but most of us were not employed. We were getting enough money to send our children to school through the project, but since its closure most of us are struggling to make ends meet.
“There are politicians telling people to demand their land back, but as you know this is a dry area and people who have embraced the project are benefiting from irrigation programmes led by Green Fuel,” he said.
“There are villagers who are growing maize at the moment using irrigation facilities from the project.”
Villagers also accused politicians of trying to interfere with the project.
“There are some politicians who were advising us against taking up the plots we were allocated. There are people who took up the plots and they are doing better than we are now.
“This area is dry and the rains are poor. Benefiting from the irrigation programme is better off for most us but we just hope Government ensures that the project is resuscitated so that villagers benefit,” Mrs Agnes Mlambo said.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter