Mutare Council Vows To Continue Slashing Maize Planted In Unapproved Areas
The Mutare City Council has vowed to continue slashing maize crops planted by residents in areas not designated for urban farming.
Mutare Councillor Simon Chabuka emphasized the need to protect the environment and address the rising cases of city flooding, which have been exacerbated by unregulated farming in urban areas.
This decision follows a recent incident where council employees were captured on camera slashing a mature maize crop in Sakubva’s OTS Section.
The video quickly went viral, drawing criticism from those who felt the council had lacked a compassionate approach to the issue.
However, during a full council meeting earlier this week at the Civic Centre, Councillor Chabuka defended the council’s actions, noting that, in his personal capacity, he had compensated some of the urban farmers whose crops were destroyed in Sakubva. He said:
The manner in which the issue of slashed maize crop was captured did not give a good picture of us as a local authority.
It dented our image, but the problem is not ours as council. The same residents who complain that their maize crop has been slashed are the same who approach us complaining about being mugged because of the cover that the maize crop provides to thieves and robbers.
Some of the crops, because the farmers plant right to the edge of the roads, make it difficult for drivers to have a clear vision, thereby causing unnecessary accidents.
My plea to councillors is that we should educate our people on the proper ways of securing urban farming land.
More importantly, we have been facing challenges related to flooding in the past two months as a city. This is all because people are planting crops in areas that are not designated for that.
Councillor Chabuka said that his visit to the areas where the maize crops were slashed in Sakubva was not on behalf of the local authority, but a personal gesture of kindness. He said:
I went to the areas that were captured on camera in Sakubva, and I went there as Councillor Chabuka, and not as a Mutare City Council representative.
I managed to agree with the affected people, and some of them were saying they lost a bucket or two of maize-meal, hence I had to buy them from my own resources.
However, he reaffirmed that the local authority will not back down from its stance on removing crops planted in undesignated areas. Said Chabuka:
We are not going back on that. Everyone is aware of issues related to climate change, and we cannot just sit and watch residents continuing practicing poor farming methods that place the lives of residents and infrastructure in danger.
More: The Manica Post
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