Governor’s son evicts Nyazura farmer
By Sidney Saize
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 16:54
MUTARE – Brian Mushowe, the son of the Manicaland Proincial Governor, Chris
Mushowe has evicted 78-year old commercial farmer Martin Philippe Van
Ransburg from his Ruebeni Farm in Nyazura.
The farmer is now in Mutare staying with well-wishers. He was forced off his
property at gunpoint by Col Mashiri a soldier in the Zimbabwe National Army.
Officials from the Ministry of Lands in Mutare said Brian Mushowe ,together
with the Provincial Intelligence Officer for Manicaland identified as
Mkorera are eyeing the property and hired thugs to wrestle the farm from the
commercial farmer.
“Van Ransburg is now staying with friends in Mutare after he was forced off
at gunpoint after numerous efforts to remove him had failed,” said the
source.
Mushowe and Mkorera evicted the farmer despite a High Court ruling before
Judge President Justice Chiweshe barring interferences on the property.
Van Ransburg voluntarily offered part of his 1 200 hectare farm for
resettlement and remained with 290 hectareson which he grows tobacco.
One of Van Ransburg’s friends said Zanu PF members arrived on the property
last week and gave the farmer a few hours to pack his belongings and leave.
“He was given just a few hours to pack his belongings. He only managed to
take a bag with his clothes and left leaving his house, household property,
and tractors. He is now destitute,” said the friend who preferred not to be
identified for fear of reprisals from Zanu PF.
“The people told Tiny (the farmer is popularly known as Tiny) that they are
not bound by the court order or ruling and all this was done at gunpoint.”
Makoni South Member of Parliament Pishai Muchauraya confirmed he had
received the reports of harassment of farmers and evictions.
Muchauraya said he received another report of a farmer in Nyazura,Paul
Grobler who had been threatened with eviction from his Geluk farm in Nyazura
by suspected war veterans.
“Farmers are being harassed in Manicaland. Tiny has been evicted and another
one called Grobler has received almost similar threats from war veterans. He
was told he would be shot dead if he resisted eviction,” Muchauraya said.