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Midlands Correspondent
Villagers from Chemagora in Gokwe have donated over 30 tonnes of maize to Tokwe-Mukosi flood victims as a way of reciprocating President Mugabe’s gesture of donating seed maize and other farming inputs to rural communities.

Chief Njelele, who coordinated the donation, said the maize would be handed over to the victims as soon as they secured transport to ferry it.

“The farmers said they wanted to pay back President Mugabe after receiving farming inputs on time for the 2013-2014 summer cropping season,” he said. “The donation is not much, but the few that we have managed to stockpile will come-in-handy.

“The farmers had a bumper harvest despite being delayed by the farm ownership wrangle that saw them being evicted from Chemagora farm towards the 2013-2014 summer cropping season.”

Meanwhile, Government has identified land to relocate about 150 families from Chemagora area which have been fighting with farm owners after allegedly illegally occupying the farms.

Midlands provincial lands officer Mr Joseph Shoko said Government identified Chirisa Game Reserve in Gokwe to relocate the affected families and resources were being mobilised to facilitate their relocation.

“We have gazetted Chirisa Game Reserve to be resettled people,” he said. “We are going to give first priority to illegal settlers who recently invaded Chemagora farm. Resources would be mobilised to facilitate their relocation.”

Mr Shoko said other families in overcrowded villages would also be resettled in the same area.

Chemagora families have for long been at loggerheads with farm owners, staying put at the farm resulting in the matter spilling into the courts which ruled in favour of the land owners.

In October last year, the families were left homeless after being evicted by the police from Chemagora farm accused of illegally resettling in the area.

The disgruntled villagers had resorted to makeshift houses, while some were living in the open by the roadside along Gokwe-Kwekwe Road.