New Dawn at Sizinda Community Gardens
- Written by: Shelton Zulu
Above: Newly elected committee at Sizinda
Bulawayo: Gardeners of Sizinda community garden have elected a new committee which is will run the affairs of the garden for the next 12months.
The committee is made up of 10 people and will be led by Mr Matiza who was elected chairperson.
Other key posts include the secretary and the treasurer which were won by Mr. Ferera and Mrs Sibanda respectively Speaking after the vote the newly elected Chairperson implored all the gardeners to work in unity so as to make their garden a success.
“When I was growing up my parents told me that alone one can never go very far, that is why I say support me as your leader and also support the committee for this project to succeed,” said Mr Matiza.
The Sizinda community gardens beneficiaries said they expected a committee that would work with transparency and empathy.
The election comes after beneficiaries had earlier voted resoundingly to remove the board of trustees which had been in charge of the Sizinda Garden, paving way for the adoption of a new constitution and the choosing of a new committee.
The ZDDT in partnership the gardeners in Sizinda had been entangled in a legal battle with the board of trustees over the ownership of the garden for almost a year.
The court then gave a ruling in favour of the beneficiaries leading to the ouster of the trustees.
Gladys who is part of the beneficiaries noted that after a long struggle all the beneficiaries at were ecstatic that they had managed to wrestle the gardens out of the hands of the board of trustees.
She noted that the trustees were very shady especially when on money issues.
“We are very excited and I think getting rid of a very inefficient board of trustees will usher in a new people chosen and people oriented committee which will take the garden forward,” said Khethi Sibanda.
According to the court ruling and the new constitution will no longer be under the name of one of the trustees which it had been registered in but every gardener will become a shareholder.