CHIPINGE – A traditional leader in the Chipendeke area here has expressed concern over the lack of speed in the implementation of the controversial Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust in which diamond mining companies in Manicaland pledged to pour $10 million into the community.
PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI
Headman Takesure Munyoro told NewsDay on Tuesday that communities were still waiting with bated breath for the project to get off the ground. He said their pleas to the relevant authorities seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
Munyoro said communities presented a number of developmental project proposals for funding under the community share ownership trust but nothing has materialised.
“We are still pushing the government through the local authority and our legislator for the matter to be attended to urgently. The area has great potential for development so we pray the road will be repaired as soon as possible,” he said.
Munyoro said some bridges swept away by Cyclone Eline in 2000 were yet to be repaired.
“We have raised the issue with the authorities because the poor road network makes it difficult especially for farmers to transport their goods to the markets,” he said.
“Dummy” cheques worth $2 billion were handed over to President Robert Mugabe during the launch of 59 share ownership schemes in the country’s 10 provinces. According to the Zanu PF 2013 manifesto, a total of $23,5 million had been paid out to the trusts by six companies by July 2013.
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The diamond mining firms in Marange, among them Anjin Investment, Mbada Diamonds, Marange Resources, Diamond Mining Company and Jinan, have allegedly not honoured their pledges made to the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust, with some saying they never pledged to pay $10 million apiece as stated by former Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
