News / National
A2 farmers evicted
01 Nov 2018 at 15:46hrs | Views
Some A2 farmers in Goromonzi have been evicted from the land allocated to them in 2007 and are now living in the open.
The farmers were issued with offer letters by former Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Cde Didymus Mutasa in 2007 but the letters were withdrawn by Cde Mutasa's predecessor, Dr Douglas Mombeshora after a court challenge.
And recently, the Sherriff told the farmers to vacate their places and their properties were destroyed, while agricultural implements were thrown out of Watermount Farm, leaving them now living under deplorable conditions.
Of major concern is that the farmers who were holders of genuine offer letters had their tenure documents withdrawn following a court ruling that land belongs to some indigenous business people after almost 12 years of occupation.
The ZBC News came face to face with both sides with the farmers enduring the scotching weather and under threat from the rains, pleading for urgent government intervention.
"This is our offer letter which we received in 2007. As you can see, they were officially signed by then Minister of Lands, Didymus Mutasa, but unfortunately the other former minister withdrew them, so our goods are now scattered everywhere. We hope our president will rescue us," said Mai Mukwamba, one of the affected farmers.
According to documents availed by Watermount Estate Private Limited, the estate is registered under deed of transfer number: 8745/98, but Mutasa allocated the land to Rashmore Mukwamba, Cephas Hodzi, Charles Machoba and Alvin Msengezi.
The Watermount farm dispute spilled into the High Court with owners seeking an eviction order of all settlers, leading former minister Mombeshora to withdraw the offer letters.
The farmers were issued with offer letters by former Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Cde Didymus Mutasa in 2007 but the letters were withdrawn by Cde Mutasa's predecessor, Dr Douglas Mombeshora after a court challenge.
And recently, the Sherriff told the farmers to vacate their places and their properties were destroyed, while agricultural implements were thrown out of Watermount Farm, leaving them now living under deplorable conditions.
Of major concern is that the farmers who were holders of genuine offer letters had their tenure documents withdrawn following a court ruling that land belongs to some indigenous business people after almost 12 years of occupation.
"This is our offer letter which we received in 2007. As you can see, they were officially signed by then Minister of Lands, Didymus Mutasa, but unfortunately the other former minister withdrew them, so our goods are now scattered everywhere. We hope our president will rescue us," said Mai Mukwamba, one of the affected farmers.
According to documents availed by Watermount Estate Private Limited, the estate is registered under deed of transfer number: 8745/98, but Mutasa allocated the land to Rashmore Mukwamba, Cephas Hodzi, Charles Machoba and Alvin Msengezi.
The Watermount farm dispute spilled into the High Court with owners seeking an eviction order of all settlers, leading former minister Mombeshora to withdraw the offer letters.
Source - zbc
