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NewsDay

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Chombo used us: Youths

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LOCAL Government minister Ignatius Chombo has come under attack from Zanu PF youths in Harare East accusing him of using them during the 2013 election campaign, but reneging on promises to reward them for ensuring a victory for the ruling party.

LOCAL Government minister Ignatius Chombo has come under attack from Zanu PF youths in Harare East accusing him of using them during the 2013 election campaign, but reneging on promises to reward them for ensuring a victory for the ruling party.

Paidamoyo Muzulu

The youths allege that Chombo promised to allocate them Panguola Farm near Mabvuku, Harare, for their income-generating projects before the July 31 elections.

Zimbabwe Youth for Prosperity (ZYP), a Zanu PF youth group based in Harare East constituency, said Chombo had become evasive after elections. The youths said they were now in a quandary as they had proposed to engage in piggery, crocodile and chicken farming, among other enterprises, on the farm.

“We are now in a dilemma and worried about our future after the minister had promised us this life-changing opportunity which has now been taken away,” the youths said.

They said the Zanu PF minister was not coming clean about the land offer amid claims that the same land has been given to a Chinese firm to construct an upmarket suburb for senior civil servants.

“We approached Chombo in March last year with our written proposal to be allocated Pangoula Farm. He promised us that it would be processed after the elections,” one of the leaders of the group said.

However, Chombo, who is secretary for land and resettlement in the Zanu PF politburo, has reportedly suddenly become evasive.

“We have noticed some Chinese on the farm bringing their construction equipment,” the ZYP official said.

Chombo was not immediately available for comment as his cellphone went unanswered.

NewsDay established that the company at Panguola Farm is Chinese firm Henan Guoji.

Guoji on its website, http://enindustry.guoji.com.cn, confirms that it is engaged in housing construction project in Harare after signing a memorandum of understanding with Chombo’s ministry.

“Entrusted by the Government of Zimbabwe, Ministry of Local Government Urban and Rural Development (MLGURD) signed the co-operation agreement with Henan Guoji about the Civil Servants Housing. Phase 1 of the project covers an area of 70 hectares, located in the capital of Zimbabwe, Harare,” Guoji’s website reads.

Zimbabwe has more than 80% unemployment and the majority of these are youths within the age group of 18 to 35.