A woman from Mpofu village in Lupane, Matabeleland North, who was expelled from an irrigation scheme for her links with the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), was later reinstated after the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) intervened in the matter.
Patricia Moyo (42) was expelled from 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 August 23 elections. Mlotshwa later won the seat.
The irrigation’s chairperson Gerald Khumalo wrote a letter to Moyo notifying her of the decision. According to the letter, Khumalo received a directive from ZANU-PF to inform Moyo that she was no longer part of the scheme.
After CITE published the story, Moyo sought legal advice from ZLHR.
“I looked for Human Rights lawyers, there are some people who work with them here in this area, they gave me their contacts and I called them. They had to come here, and I told them what transpired. They had to also go to the irrigation and talk with the chairman,” Moyo said.
She said after being approached by ZLHR, Khumalo denied having written the dismissal letter.
Moyo said after engagements with the irrigation leadership, ZLHR advised her to resume work.
“They told me to go back to the irrigation, but when I went back, there were still accusations that I am now tarnishing the irrigation’s name, I had to call the lawyers again and they had to come and engage the leadership,” she said.
Moyo said the experience has left her shaken.
“How can someone write a letter and later deny it until the law intervenes?” she asked.
