ZANU PF Youths Clash Over Gold Claim, Gunshots Fired
ZANU PF members clashed in Goromonzi North on Wednesday after a group of party youths invaded Lonely Park Farm, owned by Antony Retzlarf.
According to NewsDay, they demanded to be included in gold mining activities following the recent discovery of gold deposits on the farm.
The youths, led by ZANU PF leaders from Vhuta Ward 13, accused Pardon Chibamu, the party’s provincial youth league secretary for education, of secretly taking over the gold claim they had discovered as villagers.
During the disturbance, the youths sang war songs and waved placards while attacking Chibamu and damaging his Toyota Fortuner vehicle.
They also sent a letter to Daniel Garwe, the ZANU PF Mashonaland East provincial chairperson, on December 10, protesting Chibamu’s takeover of the mine.
The letter was signed by local ZANU PF leaders, including area councillor Peter Million. Part of the letter reads:
We hereby (submit) a complaint to your respective office against the offer of mine site given to Pardon Chibamu by the farmer Antony Retzlarf.
The Vhuta community discovered a gold belt at Lonely Park Farm and when it got to the ears of Pardon Chibamu, he misled Mr Retzlarf and negotiated to get the place using his party muscle (sic).
Ceylon Gotora, the villagers’ secretary, confirmed the incident to NewsDay on Friday, saying gunshots had been fired at the site. Said Gotora:
We wrote a letter to the province, and it was delivered, but we are yet to get a response. Some gunshots were fired on the day and four villagers were arrested over the issue. They are appearing in court today (yesterday).
Chibamu asserted that he was the rightful owner of the mine and dismissed claims from others who argued that it did not belong to ZANU PF. He said:
I am the legitimate owner of the mine, I have the required documents to prove.
There are people who are just dragging the name of the party into the mud.
Those who demonstrated at the mine are not even ZANU PF people. ZANU PF people are disciplined.
People should learn to follow and respect the processes. We are legally mining at the area. Mining is all about paperwork.
More: Pindula News
