Greenfuel (Pvt) Ltd Paranoia Fuels Community Tension

Sport in Chipinge district is often regarded as an important part of life, contributing to community identity, sense of place and social interaction. The presence of a competitive soccer team in the district is expected to contribute to social capital and one of the most distinctive characteristics of the Greenfuel ethanol project is the promotion of a soccer team that is playing in the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One. Greenfuel FC and Chipinge Stars are the only teams from the district that are currently competing in the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One. 

On Saturday the 27th of July 2019, Greenfuel FC was playing Chiredzi Stars but the match was marred by a disgraceful incident that took place at the instigation of Dean Chikukwa, Human Resources Manager at Greenfuel (Pvt) Ltd.

Dean Chikukwa ordered the security details from Greenfuel (Pvt) Ltd to remove Patrick Chitongo from the ground after the latter had approached him for a comment. Patrick Chitongo is a journalist based in Chiredzi. six security details manhandled Chitongo, literally dragging and assaulting him all the way. The incident took place in full glare of those who came to watch the match. Patrick Chitongo made a police report of the assault at Chisumbanje Police Station and the reference number of the report is RRB 3783116. He is feared to have broken a rib.

The assault on Patrick Chitongo by Greenfuel (Pvt) Ltd security details does not augur well with the district’s principles and values on community tolerance. Greenfuel (Pvt) Ltd security details have a responsibility to protect the company from a variety of hazards usually in the form of criminal acts. Security details enforce the company rules. However, the question arises to what threat was Patrick Chitongo posing to both Dean Chikukwa and the company?

The company’s security has been known in the community for the heinous acts ranging from killing people suspected of encroaching into the cane fields as well terrorizing villagers along the fields. The security details have become a terrible menace in the community as they are the enforcers of the company’s aggression and vindictiveness against common villagers. There have been cases of children drowning in the canals as they were running from the gun totting security details who were harassing and beating them.

The attack on Patrick Chitongo can be disguised as a harmless execution of responsibilities but the impact has been significant. This is an undermining of journalism that seeks to uncover the truth and hold the company to account for its social responsibilities to the community. The company is exhibiting a subtle fear of the community and in response it adopts a mafia style approach to anyone it deems as an undesirable. 

We implore Dean Chikukwa and the company to offer an apology to Patrick Chitongo and the community.  Chitongo was treated as a common criminal whereas he was merely doing his job as a journalist. His conduct was commensurate with his profession. At the same, the company has projected the community as intolerant to different views. The incident took place in Chipinge district and it is imperative that the company apologies also to the community for putting its name into disrepute. 

PYCD ENGAGES THE MINISTRY OF YOUTH, SPORTS, ARTS AND RECREATION.

The current socio – economic and political challenges facing Zimbabwe has hit the youth in rural communities most. In response to the challenges, the youth adopted various coping mechanism that affect the community in various ways. On 5th July 2019, Platform for Youth and Community Development hosted 80 young people at Manzvire Community Hall in Musikavanhu Constituency, Chipinge. The Community Hall meeting was configured around the theme; YOUTH AND RESILIENCE.

The Youth and Resilience session sought to promote self-awareness and provide diverse perspectives on current challenges facing the young people. This was done in order to build a conversation between young people and policy – makers. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation, and Zimbabwe Youth Council as well as Research and Advocacy Unit. This is a first step in providing the structural framework that allows them to actively engage with issues around sustainable development and to present their own reflections to duty bearers.

Most of the rural youths are estimated to abuse drugs and related substances, drop out of school, face early pregnancies, prostitution and lack of psycho – social support. These challenges constitute serious violation of child rights, and these violations are a result of absence of progressive ways of social engagement between the young people and duty bearers. Yet these young people are remarkably resilient despite seemingly unsurmountable odds. However, rural poverty can significantly influence young people by the lack of resources and supports available to them through both their family systems and their community contexts such as peer networks, educational systems and neighborhoods.

The meeting at Manzvire Community hall discussed the salient risk factors and protective processes for the young people living in Chipinge district. The risk factors are within the context of adverse socio – economic and cultural impacts associated with rural settings. PYCD engaged the responsible youth ministry so that varying risk factors and resilient processes are interrogated from a policy framework. This was meant for the young people to highlight their coping mechanism as they face challenges produced by a deteriorating rural economic base.   “Communication between the youth and the government has been weak leading to low uptake of the Ministry’s initiatives. It is important to improve and work towards creating a congenial relationship.” Simon Sikota, a representative from the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation acknowledged poor communication and weak engagement between the ministry and the youth. This is ample proof that explains the frustration young people experience when issues they present are discarded on the grounds that young people are rude, arrogant, disrespectful or not politically correct. As a result of inhibited youth expression, youth voices are faint in the structures of policy making, and can be left out of various governmental initiatives. Thus, the opinions, perspectives or ideas of the young person are rendered untenable, and unworthy of consideration.

Suggestions were provided for ways in which the responsible ministry and PYCD can create resilience-promoting rural environments for young people. The suggested solutions included providing psycho – social support, vocational training, youth empowerment programs and inculcate the value of cultural respect. However, youth participation in these is crucial, as the responsible ministry should provide adequate spaces for the youth engagement. The engagement learning spaces in which young people can acquire a set of expectations about their right to participate and their power to bring about change by doing so.

The youth and resilience series have allowed youth to voice opinions and, to some extent, engage with responsible authorities. This platform has emerged as channels for youth-policy maker dialogue and envisaged to improve the accountability of those in authority. The conversations on done on the youth and resilience series represent a gold mine of information and reference for performance. 

Currently, PYCD is embarking on a livelihood project in Chipinge district as a means to respond and to fight social and economic exclusion. The project focuses on inspiring young people to pursue economic opportunities in the community.  

Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD) advocacy on the Tanganda - Ngundu Road bears fruit.

For those who have been following Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD) advocacy on the state of the Tanganda - Ngundu highway, may understand the effectiveness of that particular campaign by the people of Chipinge. This is a positive indictment on the work of the organization. President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opened the Tanganda - Ngundu highway on 1 July 2019 that was rehabilitated after concerted efforts from Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD) to have the road rehabilitated. Road safety has been a complex issue of concern for PYCD as well as the local community, considering its magnitude and the negative impacts on the general welfare of the people. 

The advocacy strategy was configured with a view to draw attention to road safety generally as well as creating political will to address the deplorable state of the highway. The highway was rehabilitated to the tune of US$20m. 

Green Fuel trucks use the highway to transport sugarcane from their fields in Chipangayi to the ethanol plant stationed in Chisumbanje. Between October 2013 – December 2018, locals witnessed horrifying accidents that involved Green Fuel trucks and other road users. This resulted in locals calling for the company to take full responsibility for destroying the road as well as being liable to road accidents. 

“We were told that a section of the highway had become a black spot. We ordered that the area be rehabilitated, and was rehabilitated under phase one. After the rehabilitation of that phase we continued to record accidents along this highway.” Acknowledged President Mnangagwa.

The local community-based organization adopted a visible advocacy approach by using mass media and organizing events for the community. On 8 November 2018, PYCD facilitated for a Town Hall meeting that was conducted by the Media Centre in conjunction with the Voice of America – Studio 7. The meeting was held at Checheche growth point under the topic; “Road Network in Chipinge District - Tanganda - Ngundu Highway Rehab. The approach of local council & cabinet to solve the problem.” The residents who attended the meeting bemoaned the state of the road. It was brought to the attention of the meeting that the 80km highway has forced motorists to limit their travelling speed to almost 20km/hr. The strategic use of the media played a critical role of nurturing citizenry advocacy on the state of the road. 

The Chipinge Rural District Council has limited administrative and technical capacity to deal with the magnitude of the damage made to the road due to its low revenue base. At the same time, the use of heavy vehicles by Green Fuel on the highway led to it being eroded. The subsequent damage inflicted on the road by the road made it unusable for other forms of transport.  

The advocacy work led to the Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Joel B Matiza touring the Tanganda - Ngundu Highway in February 2019 to assess the progress of the rehabilitation work. On the 1st of July 2019, the Minister accompanied the President for the official opening.  At the official opening of the highway the Minister was quoted as saying that “the completion of this road restores the seamless flow of traffic between Manicaland and Masvingo Provinces and also key to the sustenance of the Chisumbanje ethanol project.” In the context of the Minister’s words, it is of paramount importance to compel Green Fuel’s capacity and prospects for leveraging maintenance financing of the highway. It is to be noted that slow deterioration of road quality is closely linked with a lack of maintenance. Finance in general is a scarce commodity, as such roping in Green Fuel plays a critical role in ensuring road quality is prioritized. Road maintenance should be a high priority area for the government as it is entangled with social service delivery. the effect of regular and timely maintenance is to increase the life of the road.

“We are now confident that we can rehabilitate our roads using money generated locally.” The President said at the official opening in reference to ZINARA. However, ZINARA provides a major institutional challenge relating to the lack of clear responsibility at different decentralized levels for maintenance planning, budgeting and implementation. It is therefore appropriate that Green Fuel contribute to the maintenance and operating costs.