by Bevan Musoko

ZANU PF members who are employed at Insingizi-Mapunga farm in Bindura are complaining that the National Patriotic Front (NPF) Mashonaland Central provincial chairman, Dickson Mafios is forcing them to join the opposition party to avoid being evicted from the farm.

This came out at a Zanu PF campaign meeting that was held at the farm last week. The workers, who professed to be Zanu PF members, told Zanu PF Politburo member, Monica Mavhunga that Mafios forced them to pay $100 for small pieces of land he allocated them at the farm. They also complained that Mafios was barring them from wearing Zanu PF regalia at the farm premises.

A farm worker who spoke to the Harare Post revealed that Mafios was also failing to pay them, with some of them having been last paid eight months ago.

Mavhunga promised the farm workers that she would raise their grievances with the relevant officials.

A political analyst, Masimba Taderera told the Harare Post that “what Mafios is doing is illegal. No-one should be forced to join a political party against their choice. What he is doing implies that the farm should be withdrawn from him as he is no longer supporting the Zanu PF Government that allocated him the farm in the first place. He should leave the workers to make their political choices freely.”

Mafios refused to respond to the accusations when contacted.