Chief Defies Charumbira Over Farm Seizure
Harare, May 02, 2012-A Zimbabwean traditional leader has defied a rebuke by
Chiefs Council president Fortune Charumbira to vacate a farm which he
invaded in Mashonaland Central province.
According to a memorandum written by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)’s
Internal Security and Intelligence (PISI), Chief Chiweshe recently seized
Heyshot farm in the rich Glendale farming area of Mashonaland Central
province.
The farm is owned by John Sole.
Police say Chiweshe whose real name is is Joseph Chigariro led the farm
occupation with the assistance of his aides who camped at the productive
farm for several days while executing the farm seizure.
Police say Chief Charumbira, who is also a ZANU PF member had failed to
dissuade Chief Chiweshe from seizing the farm.
The law enforcement agents hit out at Chief Chiweshe and accused him of
being greedy as he was already in occupation of another farm located in
Mvurwi in the same province which he reportedly underutilised.
“This is just a clear act of greediness. He should direct his efforts
towards ensuring that his Nhangura farm becomes productive than trying to
acquire all land that he perceives to be productive,” the police said in
their memorandum.
The police said they were monitoring the incident at Sole’s farm which
becomes the latest property to be seized at a time when President Robert
Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s coalition government declared
a moratorium on farm seizures.
Critics blame the land grab exercise which began in 2000 for the collapse of
the country’s once vibrant agricultural sector while some ZANU PF supporters
defend the seizures as necessary to correct colonial imbalances.