Deport ‘saboteur’ investor

THE community in Musakashi area of Mufulira have demanded that Government should deport a foreign investor who is allegedly trying to sabotage a World Bank-funded agricultural project which is meant to benefit more than 40, 000 smallholder farmers. Musakashi settlers told the Daily Nation in separate interviews at the weekend that Government should not tolerate foreign investors that did not take into consideration the interest of the locals. They have accused Triple S Ranch of attempting to sabotage the

Musakashi Irrigation Scheme by allegedly writing to the World Bank to halt the project so that the rank could get the vast tract of land.

Musakashi is an Irrigation Development Support Programme under the Ministry of Agriculture, located in the outskirts of Mufulira off the Kitwe road and was initiated in 2010 while actual work started the following year. The project sits on 6, 000 hectares but the investor is claiming part of the area and has since obtained an order of the court to halt construction, forcing the World Bank to withhold funding. A check by the Daily Nation showed that Government has constructed 113 houses for settlers, who were on the land meant for the construction of irrigation infrastructure. Boreholes have been sunk for the community.

Roads have already been done while a pump house and project administration office block had also been completed. The settlers said the project was at 48 percent as the laying of pipes and other attendant facilities had been done, but that the World Bank has withheld its support after the investor went to court this year. It is meant for the small-holder farmers who would ultimately contribute to national food security, poverty alleviation and job creation, but the investor has moved in and also gone to court to halt the massive project.

Speaking in an interview in Musakashi, 88-year-old Whyson Sikanyika said he and fellow community members were “very annoyed” that an investor could halt a project which would have benefitted thousands of families.

Mr Sikanyika said the community was even shocked that an investor with such a bad attitude was still in Zambia. He said the government should not take kindly to any investor who attempts to sabotage development programmes. "So this Triple S Ranch should not be treated with kidgloves. No, this project he wants to sabotage is meant to benefit many people. If you look at the Seventh National Development Plan, agriculture is top priority.”

Others members of the Musakashi community like Mr Paul Ngoma said Triple S Ranch has been a thorn in the flesh of the people in the area because he wanted to move them out.

Mr Ngoma said at one time he even circulated misleading information that the people in the area were not doing anything, but growing cannabis.