Co-Home Affairs Minister defies year-long court order
By Violet Gonda
15 February 2013
Home Affairs co-Minister Kembo Mohadi, whose job is to enforce law and order
in the country, is ignoring the rule of law himself.
Lawyer Matshobana Ncube is representing five villagers in Beitbridge, who
won a land ownership case in the High Court against Mohadi last year.
But he said the minister has refused to comply with the court order
The villagers and their families were given land through the government
resettlement programme and Mohadi had been allocated land in the same area.
Mohadi was not reachable for comment but Ncube told SW Radio Africa that the
minister, “evicted the villagers out of their land holdings and erected a
fence incorporating the plots with his own. Effectively the villagers have
been forced out of their homes because they had their livestock and
belongings there.”
The police are also accused of failing to assist the families and of
refusing to assist the messenger of court to force the minister to remove
the fence from the disputed land.
The lawyer has now filed an application for contempt of court against
Mohadi, his family and the officer commanding Beitbridge police. Mohadi
risks arrest for resisting the year long High Court order.
“Unfortunately the minister has been evasive in being served with the
papers. Ncube added: “If they fail to do so we are seeking an order that
that they be locked up for 90 days in prison so that they comply.”
Chopembe block of farms belonged to a white commercial farmer before it was
acquired by the state and then redistributed to the villagers. Ncube says
one of the affected villagers has a huge dam on his land and they suspected
this is one of the reasons Mohadi “is bulldozing his way into the land.”
The lawyer said there is a ‘catastrophic humanitarian situation’ for the
villagers who have nowhere to live.
The minister is said to already own several properties and land in this
southern region of Zimbabwe.