Fresh farm invasions hit Masvingo
http://www.financialgazette.co.zw/
Friday, 16 September 2011 10:23
MASVINGO – A new wave of farm invasions has swept across this province,
targeting the few remaining white-owned farms.
Most of the targeted white-owned properties are wildlife conservancies in
the southern parts of the province.
Recently, a small group of soldiers in military fatigue briefly camped at
Ibeca Farm on the outskirts of the city; the farm is owned by a white farmer
and hotelier, Peter Goddard.
They allegedly demanded that Goddard vacates the property to pave way for
army Colonel, Francis Chakauya, who had a confrontation with war veterans
settled around the property. The former liberation war fighters resisted
plans by Chakauya to annex the property.
Thousands of apostolic sect members also invaded Chidza Farm, owned by John
Boland but the invaders were immediately evicted from the property by riot
police.
The invasions have created fissures in ZANU-PF amid revelations that some
party heavyweights and war veterans are flatly opposed to the eviction of
the few remaining white farmers, most of whom have managed to co-exist with
the newly resettled farmers.
The invasions also come in the wake of increasing concern among resettled
farmers in over recommendations by the Masvingo provincial leadership to
garnish part of their land in order to resettle families that would be
relocated as a result of the construction of Tokwe-Murkosi Dam in southern
Masvingo.
While Masvingo governor, Titus Maluleke, declined to comment on the reports
of fresh farm occupations in the province, war veterans leader, Isaiah
Muzenda, confirmed the development.
He said while land redistribution was a noble programme, it was wrong for
those with political or even military muscle to elbow others from their
properties.
Muzenda, whose Masvingo Wildlife conservancy shares a border with Ibeca
Farm, said it was improper for Colonel Chakauya to occupy the property at
the expense of other landless civilians that have long waited to be
resettled.
“Colonel Chakauya wanted to occupy Ibeca Farm on the basis of having been
misdirected by the Masvingo political leadership because it was agreed years
back that Goddard should remain on his property owing to his benevolence to
the local community and also his strong stance against the colonial regime
that was led by Ian Smith.
“However, what we are saying as war veterans is that if the political
leadership have decided to remove Goddard, there is nothing wrong because he
is a white man but Colonel Chakauya cannot occupy the property because under
those circumstances the property should be occupied by the first black
person who was given the property before being ordered to make way for
Goddard,” said Muzenda.
The tough-talking Muzenda also lashed out at lands officers and senior
government officials in the province who are using their clout to kick out
some vulnerable black farmers from their land, which they were legally
occupying.
He said there were some black families that were being driven off their land
by powerful politicians in Masvingo Wildlife conservancy but vowed that as
war veterans they were not going to sit and watch such injustices. – Own
Correspondent