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By Lovemore Chazingwa
The highly anticipated 109th edition of the annual Kadoma Agricultural show event set for tomorrow until Saturday is going on as planned, a court decision has been endorsed.
Substantive show society executive chairman Patson Madera made the revelation in an interview at Kadoma showgrounds.
“This year’s officially endorsed Kadoma Agricultural Show is going on as planned by the executive committee working with relevant offices and stakeholders. We’ve got a court ruling to that effect. We’re on the ground to ensure the smooth running of the show. Preparations are going on well as we make final touches to all technical, structural, and ancillary aspects,” Madera said.
The belligerent chairman urged the public to come to the traditional showgrounds venue in their usual big numbers to have a feelgood effect on their showcase after Covid-19-induced lockdowns.
“We had setbacks due o the Covid-19 pandemic. I presided over last year’s edition smarting from those effects but, we managed to register a lot of marked success under a new normal. We want to ride on that success to push the devolution development agenda forward for the city and our respective districts.”
Kadoma agricultural show has been dogged by boardroom fights pitting an ousted committee currently led by inept Crispen Dirawo with bungling Talent Garikai and convicted former treasurer Luckson Munyai also fighting tooth to steer the shacky old ship.
The contesting committee which rode on an ad hoc high court decision handed down to save stakeholder resources allowing them to run a show from August 11 to 13, is working overtime to throw spanners in the upcoming show.
The low-key August installment, hastily put together by the Dirawo-led committee had all the ingredients of a botched event.
This time, according to Madera, the public and stakeholders have a chance to relish in a properly organized exhibition.
“We’ve put our act together, as the executive management committee, for the sole benefit of the public and stakeholders. Our focus remains on serving the community and putting the interests of farmers, industry, and commerce ahead of any other. We believe this is going to be a success and we will move ahead from that success pedestal,” Madera added.
In their wisdom or lack thereof, Dirawo and his trusted lieutenants are believed to be sending messages wrongly implying that the law enforcement agencies are going to thwart this imminent show event. They have blindly insinuated that the Kadoma district police chief has instructions to deploy personnel to foil the show, which is contrary to facts on the ground.
A news article with content understood to have emanated from the office of Godfrey Mavhankeni, implies that there is no show, which in itself, is a travesty of obtaining facts.
“We’re running the show as a society and are not taking instructions from Mavhankeni. Misleading information from the aggrieved committee circulating in the media is meant to cause unnecessary alarm and despondency in the public. The public should ignore that deadwood information with the contempt it deserves.”
Madera and his executive management committee are buoyed by official court decisions blessing their act.
“We have in hand a court order barring Mavhankeni and company from communicating falsehoods to the public and companies. This has put paid any doubts on the running of the show,” said a buoyant Madera responding to questions by this publication.