Carburant vert : affrontements à Nyamukwakwa (Manicaland) – 5 septembre 2013

Clashes at Chisumbanje Ethanol plant “politically motivated”

Posted by Tererai Karimakwenda on Thursday, September 5, 2013

By Tererai Karimakwenda
SW Radio Africa
5 September 2013

New clashes between local villagers and the police in the Nyamukwakwa area of Manicaland have been attributed to activists within ZANU PF, who are allegedly instructing the police and officials at the Greenfuels Company to act against the community.

According to Claris Madhuku, director of the Platform for Youth Development Trust, there have been new clashes since ZANU PF claimed a landslide victory in the July 31st elections. Some individuals within the party are allegedly using this electoral victory to implement measures that benefit them, and not the community.

Speaking just after another meeting of the District Ethanol Implementation Committee (DEPIC), Madhuku said the problem is that the controversial Greenfuels Company has been acting without giving enough information to the community. Borders that were agreed upon are also being ignored without any warning.

“Actually for the past five days there have been new arrests, where the boundary clashes are starting again. In fact the community still questions the area that the company are now developing. There is still not enough information in terms of how they want to develop and up to where,” Madhuku explained.

Recent clashes led to the arrests of Jeremiah Nyamunda, Mike Mashava, Phineaus Muyambo and Taurai Makuyana. The four protestors were detained for five hours on August 31st and they were released only after about 100 community activists descended on the police station demanding their release.

“Recently just after the election some members of the community, who might be aligned to the party that has won, feel that those representing the community in DEPIC need a new mandate. So the confrontations are being instigated clearly at a political level,” Madhuku said. Read more …