Headman Forichi Chisumbanje a Hero of Land Rights and Social Justice in Chipinge

Headman Forichi Chisumbanje passed away on 17^th of September 2019 after a short illness, and was buried on Friday the 20^th of September 2019 in Chisumbanje. The death of Headman Chisumbanje is a heavy blow to the land rights and social justice movement in Chipinge District, as he was a vital cog in the land rights and social justice advocacy. Mourners who attended and spoke at the funeral of headman Chisumbanje unanimously agreed that the late headman was an irreplaceable character who gave the community direction in the land dispute between the community and Greenfuel Pvt Ltd. His passing on created a sombre atmosphere in Chisumbanje,since it was an emotional moment for land rights and social justice activists in the area.

His counterpart within the land struggle, Headman Phineas Chinyamukwakwa admitted that the land struggle for justice and beneficiation will be poorer in the community without the personality of headman Chisumbanje. He was the spirit behind the community resistance to arbitrary communal land take over without respecting traditional leadership as well as local customs.

His value was echoed by village head, Leonard Uchaka Muyondozi who described the headman as a rare breed of traditional leaders of our time. Headman Chisumbanje practiced effective delegation in terms of serving leadership tasks, an approach which made him to be revered and respected by both the young and elderly in the village.

“We have lost a firm and consistent leader who believed in a stakeholder approach in achieving community beneficiation within the framework of the land dispute.” Village Head Muyondozi told mourners.

The burial was attended by members of the Christian community, business community and various community stakeholders. People of different walks of life who attended the burial also appreciated the role played by a local community based organisation, Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD) for leadership on the land dispute as well as taking an active role in laying to rest headman Chisumbanje. The local community based organisation PYCD had to postpone its activities that were lined up for the weekend of 20^th – 22^nd of September 2019 in order to accord a decent and dignified send off to one of the community key stakeholder in land rights and social justice.

“We had to postpone all our weekend activities to pay our last respect to Headman Forichi Chisumbanje who was a pillar of strength to PYCD’s advocacy work since 2009.” PYCD Director, Mr Claris Madhuku said.

The ongoing land dispute in Chisumbanje and Chinyamukwakwa involving the community on one side and Green fuel Pvt Ltd, Chipinge Rural District Council and ARDA on the other hand has taken many dimensions that include confrontation, dialogue and legal processes. PYCD has been mandated by the community stakeholders to continue with the advocacy work on the land dispute to ensure that villagers are not inconvenienced by the Green fuel investment so that proper and adequate compensation is attained by the villagers. This can only be achieved through just and equitable land investment policy framework that addresses community beneficiation adequately. This is possible through the empowerment of a stakeholder dialogue platform where issues that affect the villagers and the Green fuel project stakeholders, are discussed and addressed for actioning.  

Press Statement on the commemoration of International Day of Peace 2019

Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD) joins Zimbabwe and the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of Peace. This year’s celebrations are running under the theme "Climate Action for Peace.” 

This theme is a realisation that climate change is an indisputable challenge to human rights, security and socio -economic development in our local communities.

 PYCD is cognisant of the fact that climate change poses far greater challenges especially to vulnerable members of our society, as it has the potential to aggravate existing fragile situations as has become the case in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts due to the impact of Cyclone Idai.

This year’s commemorations come in the midst of serious concerns by citizens of Zimbabwe and Africa, to invoke the values of ubuntuism as a lasting solution to the various forms of violence taking place in the world. A Case in point is the gothic scenes of Xenophobia attacks that are currently going on in South Africa against fellow African nationals. The xenophobic attacks have resulted in the death of 12 people with more than 680 people arrested for violence.

The commemoration provides an opportunity for PYCD to advocate not only for a legally binding instrument against violence, but for a moral campus that will assist citizens and governments to develop common values that allows for human rights, justice, freedom and protection of all core values of humanity.

PYCD will be commemorating this day through a sports tournament  featuring eight community soccer teams and eight community netball teams. The participating community teams have been picked from various villages in Chipinge district. 

The sports tournament will be preceded by a march which is expected to denounce the sprawling of gender based violence cases in Chipinge district .The procession will be from Machona village via Chisumbanje village to the venue of the commemoration, which is Takwirira High School on the 28th of September 2019.

This year’s theme commensurate with the current efforts by government and development agencies to mitigate against the effects of Cyclone Idai which left more than 1000 people dead. Cyclone Idai left a trail of destruction in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts.

In commemorating the International Day of Peace, PYCD will engage in public awareness activities that seek to address a wide chasm between women adversely affected by the consequences of climate change and community leaders who control the resources and hold the decision – making power.