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.
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