Army being used to invade farms

By Thulani Ncube

Before the ink has dried on papers signed at the special 5 November 2009, Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit, held in Maputo , to salvage Zimbabwe ‘s troubled Global Political Agreement (GPA), farm invasions have escalated.

Illustratively, Shurugwi farmer, Mr. John Anderson is the latest victim. As SADC leaders met in Maputo, two rogue squads joined hands to attack and takeover Anderson’s Corrangemite Farm.

One gang comprised a group of six who had come to help ZANU fanatic and ZIMASCO (Pvt) Ltd, Health Manager, Mr. Farai Marikano, seize the remaining portion of land. The other was a band of partisan cops sent to reinforce Marikano’s mob. The police men were getting direct orders from the Officer in Charge, Shurugwi Police Station.

On 7 November 2009, three farm employees were seized, handcuffed and thrown into custody at Gweru Rural Police Station. Six others were forcibly taken as state witnesses. The labourers were arrested for attempting to return Anderson’s cattle that had been driven by invaders onto Marikano’s portion of land.

While returning the herd to Corrangemite Farm, the workers were apprehended by Marikano’s men and taken prisoner. However, investigations reveal that last year, Marikano made several futile attempts to grab some of Anderson’s cattle.

After the beatings meted out by cops, the employees who were arrested were forced to eat while handcuffed. Their repeated pleas to remove the handcuffs were ignored.

Furthermore, while ordering the workers, police officers shouted on top of their voices saying, “Gara pasi”, which means, “sit down”. The bad “treatment was meant to degrade the inmates and puncture their self esteem,
“said a friend who visited the police station.

The invaders are aiming to dispossess Mr. Anderson and acquire his Corrangemite Farm for Mr. Marikano. The latter has co-existed with the former for several years after taking over a big portion of the land.

However, President Robert Mugabe’s declarations that, “ONLY FIVE WHITE FARMERS PER PROVINCE SHOULD REMAIN”, has seen the incidence of violence worsen.

In fact Zimbabwe’s land reform has been characterised by two factors, among other things. Firstly, there has been a standing declaration by Mugabe, that “You must instil fear in the heart of the white men”.

Secondly, the police, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and other members of the armed forces continue to be used by ZANU-PF as a personal army.