Farmers’ reps hold polls today
THE Commercial Sugar Cane Farmers’ Association (CSFAZ), the biggest sugarcane farmers’ representative body in the Lowveld, will today hold an elective meeting to chose leaders who will steer the association for the next three years.
This comes amid calls for the association’s executive to amend its constitution, which Chiredzi magistrate Mr Tafadzwa Mhlanga said is heavily flawed.
Hundreds of cane farmers will today converge in the sugarcane-growing town of Chiredzi for much-awaited elections that have been postponed several times because of legal challenges.
The poll was set to be held last Friday before being moved again to pave way for the inauguration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Those eyeing posts in the new executive were busy holding lastditch campaigns ahead of polling that is set to kick-off at 8am.
“We are now in receipt of the interdict and consulted with the association’s lawyers,” reads part of the message received by farmers yesterday. “The elective meeting will be held tomorrow (today), Tuesday 28 November at CSFAZ offices at 0800hrs.”
The election kicks off after disgruntled members led by former chairperson Cde Admore Hwarare dragged the current executive led by Mr Tawanda Mafurutu to court seeking an interdict to bar them from continuing with the association’s business after the expiry of their mandate last month.
Mr Mafurutu’s executive, which was represented by Mr Emmanuel Chibundu of Kwirira and Magwaliba Legal Practitioners, had argued that they wanted at least three weeks to clear all the outstanding issues in the association to enable a smooth handover and takeover of power by new office bearers.
Among the main outstanding issues that needed to be cleared by Mr Mafurutu’s executive was to complete auditing of the assciation’s books.
In his ruling in the application for an interdict against Mr Mafurutu and his executive, magistrate Mr Mhlanga noted that CSFAZ’s constitution needed to be drafted anew.
“This constitution was hurriedly done, maybe the motive was to serve the interests of specific individuals,” he said.
Mr Mhlanga said the constitution did not provide for the extension of the term of office in the event of expiry. “The constitution has no clause which provides for the executive to extend their term of office when their three-year term expires,” he said. “There is no mention of granting the same executive leeway to extend their days in office and giving such allowance would be unlawful.”
Mr Mhlanga said the constitution failed to provide for the smooth handover-takeover of the institution’s business since the administrator had no power to decide without the approval of the secretary-general.
“Since this constitution has some flaws, the court will allow the interdicted executive to go back to their offices and sign the accounts since business has been grounded,” he said.
“They are, however, barred from undertaking meetings and also not allowed to take part in the preparations of elections and candidate selection since they are interested parties.”