Dairy farmer loses licence, faces eviction
August 12, 2015
THE wrangle over ownership of Mashonganyika Farm between First Lady Grace Mugabe’s aide Deputy Police Commissioner Olga Bungu and a dairy farmer, Gillian Munn, has taken a nasty turn following cancellation of the farmer’s dairy licence.
By Everson Mushava
The farm is located in Goromonzi, just a few kilometres outside Harare.
Bungu, who recently filed civil and criminal charges against Munn at the Goromonzi Magistrates’ Court, claimed she was offered the farm by government in 2009.
She, however, lost her civil case after the court ruled that it had been improperly filed.
The criminal case is to be heard on September 8.
Munn’s licence was cancelled at the instigation of Bungu on August 7 through a letter signed by one TC Marecha, representing the Department of Livestock Production and Development in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Part of the letter read: “In light of the fact that you failed to notify the Chief Diary Officer of such change of ownership, we are therefore cancelling the certificate that was issued to you on 1 September 2014.
“We understand that the farm was acquired in terms of the Land Acquisition Act chapter 2010 and is now State land. In terms of Section 38 of the Act, you had an obligation to notify the Chief Diary Officer of such change of ownership.
“This notification enables the Chief Diary Officer to cancel the certificate of the previous owner and make a decision in terms of the Act to inspect the premises and ensure that the new owner of the farm had made an application for registration of a certificate if the new owner is going to be utilising the premises of farm diary.”
Munn yesterday confirmed receipt of the letter, which she said would mean huge losses to her as she would not be able to sell her milk products.
“I don’t know how my licence could be cancelled when the matter is still before the court. The court has not yet proved the validity of her (Bungu) offer letter,” Munn said.
The 209-hectare farm, registered in 2002, produces nearly 1 000 litres of milk per month, about 110 hectares of maize and employs over 100 workers.
“Last week, a group of police officers came here and ordered me to sign a document that I am not the owner of the farm. I refused. The matter is before the court. I am going to put a case against the police. That is intimidation,” Munn added.
Bungu could not be reached for comment yesterday, but police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba last month said Munn’s eviction was above board.