Nkomo seeks to rescue banana plantation
http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=27829
March 10, 2010
By Our Correspondent
HARARE – Vice President John Nkomo has moved in to help Malaysian and Dutch investors regain control of their banana plantation which was seized by a retired army general who is now Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Tanzania.
Fangundu Farm was invaded in December last year by Ambassador Edzai Chimonyo. Nkomo met a high powered delegation from Malaysian investors, Rainbow Century SDN BHD Route Toute BV, in Harare on Tuesday and reportedly promised to help them regain control of their plantation.
Rainbow Century and Dutch-based investor jointly own Route Toute BV, which in turn owns Matanuska, a farming organisation. Matanuska produces bananas for the export market.
The project falls under the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA).
But Chimonyo has dug in his heels, setting the stage for a court battle with Matanuska who are challenging his occupation of their 80 hectare plantation.
The ambassador is harvesting bananas estimated to be worth $US45 000 a week and pocketing the proceeds.
A High Court judge last month dismissed a court application by Matanuska seeking to stop Chimonyo’s operations on the estate. Justice Felistus Chatukuta ruled that since the farm was acquired by the state Matanuska did not have any title to the property and crops anymore. The company has appealed against the ruling.
On Tuesday a delegation from Malaysia that included diplomats met Nkomo and expressed disappointment at the failure by the government of Zimbabwe to save the project which falls under BIPPA.
“There was a fruitful meeting with the VP,” said a source close to the company. “We are hopeful things will work out now.”
There was no immediate comment from the VP’s office but sources said it was unlikely the Malaysians will have any joy since the matter was already before the courts.
The sources said the Malaysians should have taken the diplomatic and political route from the onset instead of pursuing the matter through the courts.
“The VP may have promised but his hands are tied because this case is before the courts, the Supreme Court, for that matter,” said a Zimbabwean foreign affairs official. “These people should have taken this route from the start because to stop it now can be difficult and can create some problems.”
The sources said the other set back was that Chimonyo, a retired army major general, is adamant that no one will reverse his acquisition of the farm.