‘Black Jesus’ tastes own medicine
Saturday, 11 February 2012 19:36
MASVINGO — When he became the first person in Zimbabwe to invade a
white-owned commercial farm that precipitated the violent land grab in 2000,
Francis Zimuto aka Black Jesus faced the easiest of all tasks.
He even staged a one-man march from Masvingo to Harare carrying a cross to
petition the British Queen, through its embassy in the capital city,
protesting against UK’s reluctance to fund the land reform programme.
But more than a decade later, Zimuto who is a trainer of the infamous Zanu
PF’s youth militia, known as Green Bombers, is tasting his own medicine
after at least 150 villagers from Chilonga communal lands descended on his
latest acquisition — Mteri Conservancy and Lodges in the Lowveld — demanding
a share.
He invaded the conservancy from the sugar conglomerate, Tongaat Hullet, the
parent company of Triangle and Hippo Valley on January 1 giving himself a
New Year present.
But barely a month later, Zimuto said he was being frustrated by the
villagers who invaded “his property”.
“Now I am facing a problem of squatters who have invaded the place and set
up camp, poaching the animals in the area and disturbing arrivals of
hunters.”
He said he was going to seek an eviction order from the courts.