By Foster Dongozi

Farm workers at Bineth Farm, outside Kadoma, owned by Malawian President, Bingu wa Mutharika say poor housing at the farm – dilapidated pole and mud structures – poses a health hazard. The workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity also called on the Malawian President to ensure that electricity was installed at the compound. “In addition, not all the 22 workers at the farm have been paid their August wages and this is very demoralising, but we hope that since Mr Wa Mutharika is now a Head of State, our conditions of service will improve,” said one farm worker. A spokesperson for the farm, only identified as Mai Nyoni, who is an in-law to President Wa Mutharika, was not available for comment. Wa Mutharika reportedly bought the farm in 1994 and named it Bineth. Bin, is taken from his name, Bingu and eth from the name of his Zimbabwean wife, Ethel, said to hail from Murehwa, according to some farm workers. The Malawian leader was in the country to open the 94th edition of the Harare Agricultural Show nine days ago. On the same night, Newsnet reported that Wa Mutharika had extended his stay in Zimbabwe to attend the burial of national hero, Dr Eddison Zvobgo last Sunday. It, however, did not mention that, in addition to attending Zvobgo™s burial, the Malawian Head of State intended to take time out to visit his dairy farm just outside Kadoma, on the Gokwe-Sanyati Road.

The Standard established that after opening the Harare Agricultural Show, the Malawian leader, in a State motorcade, drove towards the gold-mining city of Kadoma, where he was booked into Executive Suite of Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre whose buildings are owned by the Zvobgo family. “The Executive Suite costs $800 000 a night and the Malawian Embassy paid for their president™s stay at the hotel,” said an employee at the KHCC hotel. Security at the hotel on the night was very tight. The security details were reportedly courteous to hotel guests. “On Saturday morning, Wa Mutharika and his delegation which included the Malawian First Lady, Ethel wa Mutharika checked out of the hotel and their motorcade drove towards the farm on the Gokwe-Sanyati road,” a source at the hotel told The Standard. Workers at the farm confirmed that the Malawian President visited the farm last Saturday morning. “A beast was slaughtered for people of Malawian origin from Patchway Mine and other surrounding areas who came to meet Wa Mutharika,” another farm worker told The Standard. The farm worker said the hill next to the farm and surrounding areas were teeming with armed soldiers and policemen during the visit. When The Standard drove along the Harare-Kadoma Highway on Saturday, members of the Police Support Unit were heavily deployed along the route to guard the Malawian leader, who returned to Harare towards sunset. Wa Mutharika was said by his workers to have 35 dairy cows, 40 head of beef cattle and several goats. The Malawi president

From The Zimbabwe Standard, 5 September
Source: WWW.ZwNews.Com