Zimbabwe government grabs more farms

The Zimbabwe government has acquired five more farms, including a sports club just outside Harare, as the land reform programme persists.

The Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Herbert Murerwa, through a notice in the Government Gazette, announced that government would acquire five properties in Chegutu and Harare districts including a sports club in Beatrice.

According to Statutory Notice 134 of 2012, the land is being acquired lawfully in terms of Section 16 (B)(2)(a)(iii) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

"The properties are acquired for and on behalf of the State for the purpose of settlement for agriculture," read the notice in the Gazette.

"The ownership of the acquired land with full title therein vested in the State is with effect from the date of publication of this notice in the Government Gazette (6th April 2012)," it read.

Among the properties acquired is Lot 1 of Rogate of Railway 15 in Chegutu district, formerly Hartley, which was registered under the ownership of Melvin Douglas Wasterfall and Sheena Catherine Wasterfall.

Other pieces of land that were acquired include sub-division D of Kinvara, in Harare, registered under the ownership of Daniel Alexandra, sub-division H of Homefield in Harare, which was registered under the name of Antony John Windsor Pettifor, and sub-division H of Kinvara in Harare, registered under the name of Charles Alexander Bruce.

The other latest acquisition by government was Beatrice Showgrounds in Harare district measuring 50 319,2 acres and was registered in the name of the Trustees of Beatrice Sports Club.