Rusape woman seeks Chimene’s penalisation over farm invasion

A RUSAPE woman has filed an urgent High Court application seeking to penalise Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandiitawepi Chimene for defying court orders over the ownership of a farm in the area.

BY OBEY MANAYITI

Chimene was recently barred from taking over the land from Christine Murembwe’s Mona Agri-Tourism Company, which runs the farm. But Chimene recently invaded the farm and threw out Murembwe’s property by the roadside, as she claimed to be the bona fide owner of the farm. Murembwe wants Chimene to be slapped with a wholly suspended 180 days’ imprisonment for defying the court order.

“The first respondent (Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister) and second respondent (Chimene) are, hereby, sentenced to 180 days’ imprisonment, which is wholly suspended for two years on condition they do not, during that period, commit another act of contempt of a court order,” Murembwe’s draft order read.

Chimene has been claiming ownership of the farm, saying she has an offer letter from the Lands ministry. Murembwe is a former aide of former Zanu PF strongman and now Zimbabwe People First elder, Didymus Mutasa.

She told NewsDay yesterday that since her illegal eviction by Chimene, she and her family had been living under inhumane conditions.

“My family is going through a painful moment. Our property is still by the roadside and that is where we are staying. This is so terrible,” she said.

“What kind of life is it when you are subjected to such treatment without adequate shelter, properly cooked food, property just by the roadside and having to ask for a place to bathe from neighbours daily? This is the highest level of inhumane life that I am being subjected to by another woman, who, however, holds a respectable position that she was appointed to by the President.”