The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
A HEALTH time bomb is ticking at Mufusire in Headlands where 146 families evicted from their homes of 40 years were dumped and camped, amid reports that one child died, while several others’ health has deteriorated due to exposure to wet conditions over the last three weeks.
The Manica Post understands that some of the families were resettled at Fairfiled 15 and 16 farms in the 1980s until three weeks ago when the deputy sheriff, in the company of anti-riot police, evicted them from the property.
This follows a High Court order sought by Mr Samuel Matonga, on behalf of the defunct Cheziya Kushinga Cooperative.
Since the evictions three weeks ago, six pregnant mothers have given birth under the deplorable conditions, exposing them and their new-born babies to an array of health hazards in the post-natal period.
Most of them do not seek medication for religious reasons.
The new-born babies risk developing pneumonia and respiratory tract infections as a result of poor ventilation.
The Madziro family, which resettled at the contentious farm in 1984 under Wiriranai Cooperative, last Friday lost its son, Jeremiah (4) due to cold-related illness.
The deceased’s brother, Nisban and several other children whose families were also evicted, are reportedly unwell, and have not been receiving medical attention over the past three weeks.
Among those exposed to harsh weather conditions are children, the elderly and women, who are braving torrential rains pounding the area.
The families are staying in plastic shacks without proper sanitation, clean water and food, and are appealing to authorities and well-wishers for assistance.
Mr Nimrod Madziro confirmed and attributed the death of his son to cold weather, and pleaded with authorities to come to their rescue.
“He was caught in a night storm, developed a fever and died last Friday. He died due to exposure to bad weather. The ground is always wet as the rains are pounding the area day and night. All the clothes and blankets are always wet, exposing children to danger,” he said.
“It is a ticking time bomb because there are six babies who were born and living under these inhabitable conditions,” he said.
Makoni Rural District Council Ward 34 representative, Councillor Marko Frashisko Banda confirmed Jeremiah’s death and decried heavy infestation of mosquitoes, making a malaria outbreak imminent.
“A significant number of children are seriously affected by the rains pounding the area, and their plight has been worsened by their parents’ anti-medical seeking behaviour as they are members of an apostolic sect.
“They are also under serious threat of communicable diseases because their living conditions are deplorable. They do not have food, water, tents, toilets and the only person who has so far intervened to assist these families is commercial farmer and ZANU PF member, Cde Kudzi Chipanga,” said Councillor Banda.
Cde Chipanga has engaged lawyers to study the court order and appeal.
The lawyers are also representing 26 evicted persons who were arrested after an altercation over the way their property was being handled by the Deputy Sheriff’s team.
Cheziya-Kushinga Cooperative chairman, Mr Joseph Mudede said the eviction process started in 2016 as the “squatters” were disturbing production at the 1500-hectare property.
“We have 150ha of gum plantation and this year we did not plant anything in the fields as these people have rendered them inaccessible. They claimed ownership of some plots, yet the property belongs to Cheziya-Kushinga Cooperative,” he said, adding that only 12 out of 21 cooperative members are active.
Makoni District Development Coordinator, Mr Edwin Mashindi said the said cooperative was dysfunctional, with said members operating as individuals.
“There is nothing on the ground that speaks of the existence of a cooperative. From our understanding, there is no cohesion as individuals are doing personal projects. They do not have fixed members and the said management committee only surfaces as and when it is convenient. In fact, as a district we are interested in their production returns,” said Mr Mashindi.
Mr Matonga on Tuesday confirmed the eviction of the 146 families by the cooperative.
Investigations by The Manica Post showed that Fairfield 15 and 16 were initially allocated to Wiriranai Cooperative in the 1980s by the then Ministry of Cooperatives, but the beneficiaries could not produce tobacco for religious reasons as per Government expectations.
They were moved out of the farm to pave way for Cheziya Kushinga Cooperative in the 1990s.
However, the Wiriranai Cooperative members resisted to move and constructed homesteads on the farm.
Meetings were held in 2007 where it was agreed that 32 ex-Wiriranai Cooperative members be regularised and issued with five hectare permits.
However, their continued stay saw them bringing illegal settlers.
