Senior Zanu PF Jomic official grabs farm
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
Thursday, 03 November 2011 18:51
Paidamoyo Muzulu
ZANU PF’s Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee representative
Kizito Kuchekwa is reportedly behind the invasion of Birthday Farm in Mazowe
owned by German nationals and supposedly protected under a bilateral
agreement with the European country.
Kuchekwa allegedly instigated about 200 Zanu PF youths to camp at the
renowned tobacco producing farm owned by Henrik Pezold Junior and protected
under the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (Bippa)
signed with the German government in 1995.
New invasions are against the Government of National Unity’s policy of
halting any land grabs in order to give the economy a chance to recover
after a decade of constant decline.
Kuchekwa sits on the Global Political Agreement’s implementation committee
which monitors issues of political violence, respect for the rule of law and
implementation of agreed legislative reforms before the holding of
elections.
Kuchekwa is a Zanu PF central committee member who harbours ambitions to
secure political office in the next elections. Jomic officials said Kuchekwa
was in Bulawayo on business and he was unreachable on his mobile phone.
A Zanu PF source confirmed that Kuchekwa was behind the Birthday Farm
invasion and said he was using it as a footing for his political career.
“Kuchekwa is ambitious and is preparing to get into public office in the
next elections,” said the Zanu PF official. “He is using his connections
from his previous close association with the late Elliot Manyika. He sees
this as an opportunity to get into political office.”
Birthday Farm general manager Chris Booker confirmed that his farm had been
invaded by a group of youths who were presently camped at the property.
“There are some people who came to the farm and claim they are new
settlers,” said Booker. “We have alerted the police and the district
administrator who are handling the matter,” Booker said.
Pezold, however, could not be reached for comment. Mazowe district
administrator Cheri Nyakudya on Wednesday confirmed that a group of youths
had invaded the farm and efforts were underway to move them out.
“We had a meeting with the group on Tuesday and told them to leave the
farm,” said Nyakudya. “I am not sure if they have complied with the order
by now (Wednesday afternoon),” Nyakudya said.
Zimbabwe nationalised all farm land in 2000 under the guise of a land
resettlement programme led by war veterans. More than 4000 commercial farms
were expropriated, leaving over 350 000 former farm workers jobless and
homeless.