VP aspirant Mphoko sucked in messy land fight

ZANU PF vice president aspirant and ex ambassador to South Africa, Phelekezela Mphoko, is embroiled in a bitter wrangle with a motor vehicle company over a farm in Umguza, in which the Umguza Rural District Council is alleged to have clandestinely allocated.

Mphoko is alleged to have occupied Plot 13 Douglasdale Farm in Umguza and started removing fencing and standards erected by the company at the farm.

Terridan Motors (Private) Limited director Absomom Mukahiwa represented by Sandra Sauramba from Majoko and Majoko law firm yesterday filed an urgent High Court application seeking to bar Mphoko from removing the fencing and to cease operations or interfering with the company at the farm.

The application was filed before Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva pending a hearing into the case, in which the company is seeking the removal of Mphoko from the farm.

Mphoko is cited as the first respondent in the case while Umguza Rural District Council and the National Fencing Company are cited as second and third respondents, respectively.

Terridan Motors is applicant.

Justice Takuva yesterday granted the company an interim relief, ordering that National Fencing Company must stop removing fencing and standards erected by the company.

He said in the event that the respondents defied the order, the police officer commanding the law and order section in Bulawayo should ensure compliance.