Former Mutare City Commissioner Ordered To Return Farm
09/02/2011 16:24:00
Mutare, February 09, 2011 – Former Mutare Chairperson of the Commission
running the affairs of the City of Mutare, Fungai Chaeruka, has had his farm
which he invaded in 2007 taken by government.
Chaeruka in 2007 armed with an offer letter invaded Mapetu Farm owned by
Heather Guild a commercial farmer in Vumba. There was an uprising soon after
Chaeruka took over the farm by villagers and resettled farmers in the area
who said the enjoyed a good working relationship with Guild.
Guild’s lawyer Victor Chinzamba confirmed that Chaeruka’s has been removed
from the farm.
“Guild was given an offer letter to remain at the farm after Chaeruka’s
offer letter was withdrawn,” said Chinzamba.
Chinzamba said he was not privy to the reasons why the former commission
chairman’s offer letter was withdrawn by the minister of land reform and
resettlement.
“The minister might have reasons for that but they were not made public, if
Heather was told the reasons she might know,” said Chinzamba.
Chinzamba said the minister’s offer letter confirms what the then Manicaland
governor Tinaye Chigudu had said in 2008 that Chaeruka had not been obtained
in a proper manner.
“The governor had said proper procedures were not followed to get that offer
letter because there had been no meeting of the provincial land committee
recommending that Chaeruka occupy Mapetu Farm,” said Chinzamba.
“A letter to the late vice president Joseph Msika was written by Chigudu
recommending that Chaeruka’s offer letter must be withdrawn and Heather be
given back his farm,” he added.
Chigudu had said Guild made an essential contribution to the community and
should be allowed to stay at the farm.
In 2007 the late vice president Msika summoned minister Mutasa to explain
allegations of unprocedural issuing of offer letters and ordered their
nullification plus eviction of beneficiaries of the unapproved offers.
Some of the farms that were allocated unprocedural are Grande Parade and
Foliot farms in Mashonaland West area of Karoi.