A 42-year-old woman from Mpofu village in Lupane, Matabeleland North Province, has her membership in an irrigation scheme terminated because her husband is a member of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
Writing for CITE, Senzeni Ncube reported that Patricia Moyo was kicked out of the Bubi-Lupane irrigation scheme after her husband, Thulani Mlotshwa successfully filed his nomination papers to represent CCC in Ward 18 as a councillor in the upcoming elections.
The irrigation’s chairperson Gerald Khumalo wrote a letter to Moyo notifying her of the decision. Part of the letter reads:
As a committee of the irrigation scheme, we have been given a directive by ZANU PF which is the President’s Office to inform you that you are no longer part of the scheme with effect from 22 June 2023 and you won’t receive any benefits.
Khumalo advised Moyo to get in touch with the ruling party and the President’s office if she has any objections.
Moyo told CITE that she has been a member of the irrigation scheme for the past three years which enabled her to feed her family. She said:
They wrote me a letter on the 22nd of June and was called on the 23rd of June and told me that I am no longer a member of the irrigation scheme, the reason was not stated but they had previously quizzed me about how I am part of the irrigation when my husband is contesting for CCC.
I told them that I am not part of the politics and when I joined the irrigation scheme, they said it was for all Mpofu villagers and most people who joined are women, men are just a few, and that is how I responded to them.
Mlotshwa said it is shocking that the issue has been politicised, adding that those who are in charge said she will not be paid for the sunflower she sold to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
CITE reported that they contacted Khumalo who responded by saying he was only a messenger and could not comment further on the matter.
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