Ndebele Chief calls for more sanctions
...as government plans to evict Ntabazinduna white farmer
Ntabazinduna Chief Felix Ndiweni says the Zimbabwe government is inviting more sanctions on itself if it continues with plans to take over Ntabazinduna mountain.
There are reports that the government wants to evict a white commercial farmer, Brian Davies from Tabas Induna Farm.
With the permission of the late Chief Khayisa Ndiweni, the Davies/Parsons family built Chiefs Lodge in 1992 on the top of Ntabazinduna Hill, a famous historical site that is revered by the community.
Addressing journalists in Bulawayo, Thursday, Chief Ndiweni reiterated that their anger as the people of Ntabazinduna emanated from the intrusion of government on the Ntabazinduna hill.
He explained the hill is sacred as it is a place that has been passed down their generations from the first Monarchy of Matshobana.
“I have no interest with engaging in dialogue with the current government anymore. The only thing I want is for them to back off! Whoever they have in mind to occupy the mountain will not do it. It is off limits. It belongs to us!” declared Chief Ndiweni.
“We had jurisdiction over this place before the current administration was in place. It was there before democracy came to the land. It was demarcated by our first monarchy-Matshobana,” he said.
The paramount chief said on May 18, there will be the launch of the “Save Ntabazinduna mountain” campaign.
“The current leadership has not done much to deserve the government title hence I am referring to it as an administration,” said Chief Ndiweni.
“We are asking organisations from the international community to increase sanctions and travel restrictions they brought to this administration. The ones in place are tiny. They serve as measures to make those in authoritative positions see sense. Do not be beguiled by the notion that sanctions have brought Zimbabwe to a standstill. Iran has more sanctions but is by far doing better than Zimbabwe.”
Chief Ndiweni added: “These administrators need to join the queues we suffer on a daily basis- failure to pay school fees, cash shortages, health facilities with no medication and winding fuel queues. Right now, they comfortably sit in Harare claiming to be governing. The qualification of a government has not been met on many fronts. At this rate it would be a miracle if it lasts until December 2019,” he said.
Ndiweni said the situation in Zimbabwe has reached an abnormal level as people with qualifications have been reduced to scrambling for vacancies as prison guards due to unavailability of employment.
“Overqualified personnel are scrambling for jobs as prison guards. People with over 8 O-level passes, 3 A-level passes and tertiary education qualifications. What we are going through as a country is abnormal,” he said.
