Embattled Zimbabwe farmers up in arms over judiciary system
http://www.sabcnews.com/
January 29 2010 , 4:46:00
Embattled commercial farmers in Zimbabwe are up in arms over the country’s judiciary system. They are accusing some of the magistrate’s of playing referee and player at the same time. This in a case in which one magistrate who imprisoned two white farmers yesterday is alleged to have benefited from the accused’s property.
Commercial Farmers Union representative Hendrick Olivier says Mike Jammy was one of the farmers that was convicted this week and was given 24hrs to vacate his property. Olivier, says he has in his possession an offer letter which confirms it was issued on November 13, 2009 by Minister Mrerwa, indicating that the magistrate is a beneficiary of Jammy’s farm.
The farmers say the grand strategy is to drive them off their farms. They say this charge includes fast tracking prosecutions of farmers and a systematic, blanket rejection of their appeals and defences. However, the
government maintains that the program is orderly.
Agriculture Minister, Joseph Made of Zanu PF, says with the continued imposition of sanctions, they don’t have electrical equipment and the capacity to restart the irrigation.
Made says the renovations that need to be done on infrastructure that was destroyed is what the farmers are also battling with and the continued vandalism that is sponsored in terms of undermining the land reform. Current
developments at the farms appear not to be sparing South African farmers who are expected to be protected under a bilateral agreement signed by the two countries last year.