The Ebenezar Agricultural Training centre is situated at Maleme Ranch in Natisa and provides agricultural lessons for young orphans. The ranch was built and is owned by white commercial farmer, Peter Cunningham.
Villagers and farm workers said war veterans led by Clever Dube were grabbing the agricultural training center to punish them for protecting Cunningham from eviction.
Killion Sibanda, the chairman of the Natisa grazing scheme, said they had approached Chief Masuku for help to drive out the war veterans.
“We are just praying and hoping that the Chief will intervene urgently to evict these war veterans. These people are punishing us for protecting Cunningham whom we have lived with peacefully for years. He has done a lot for us,” Sibanda said.
A farm worker who refused to be named said: “It is unfortunate that they are destroying the future of our youth. This college has taught our young people agricultural skills and many of them are now able to sustain themselves through small scale farming.”
Farm manager, Phathani Sibanda, confirmed the development but refused to comment further. – Ashly Sibanda Late last year, the war veterans, mostly aligned to Zanu (PF), grabbed grazing paddocks from the villagers.
Post published in: News