News / National
Johane Marange Apostolic Church man, 14 wives invade 12 houses
03 Aug 2014 at 18:48hrs | Views
A Johane Marange Apostolic Church man and his 14 wives who were evicted and arrested for unlawful entry into houses belonging to a Chinese mining concern Jinan in December have camped outside 12 Anjin houses in Arda Transau.
Arda Transau Development Trust (ATDT) chairperson Cephas Gwayagwaya said 89-year-old Philemon Johwani Kaiboni Kambeni and his 14 wives made the move after informing police in Odzi.
The family refused to vacate the premises saying they wanted to highlight their plight three-and-half years after they were moved from Chiadzwa to make way for diamond mining.
Prior to the invasion, Kambeni and his 14 wives besieged the district administrator's office demanding decent and adequate accommodation for their super-sized family but their demands were not met.
"They are not afraid of arrest and all they want is decent housing," Gwayagwaya said.
The 35-member family have been squatting since February 2011. They transported their belongings using a lorry and donkey drawn carts and are camped in the open.
Blessing Nyamaropa of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (Zhlr) told the Daily News on Sunday that the family had become impatient because the house allocated to them was too small.
"This family was impatient and they decided to claim their right to shelter by occupying houses at Arda Transau which belong to Jinan, a mining company in Chiadzwa," Nyamaropa said.
"We intervened to ensure that the Kambeni family's right to shelter is protected. They had a decent home in Chiadzwa but are living in conditions that are inhumane and degrading. We feel they have a right to claim decent shelter," he added.
Odzi police have since recorded a warned and cautioned statement and will proceed with the case by summons following Zlhr's intervention.
The Zlhr lawyer pleaded with the authorities to consider his clients' plight and allocate them a decent home.
In the week that preceded the house invasions Kambeni and his 14 wives besieged the district administrators office demanding decent and adequate accommodation for their super-sized family.
Arda Transau Development Trust (ATDT) chairperson Cephas Gwayagwaya said 89-year-old Philemon Johwani Kaiboni Kambeni and his 14 wives made the move after informing police in Odzi.
The family refused to vacate the premises saying they wanted to highlight their plight three-and-half years after they were moved from Chiadzwa to make way for diamond mining.
Prior to the invasion, Kambeni and his 14 wives besieged the district administrator's office demanding decent and adequate accommodation for their super-sized family but their demands were not met.
"They are not afraid of arrest and all they want is decent housing," Gwayagwaya said.
The 35-member family have been squatting since February 2011. They transported their belongings using a lorry and donkey drawn carts and are camped in the open.
"This family was impatient and they decided to claim their right to shelter by occupying houses at Arda Transau which belong to Jinan, a mining company in Chiadzwa," Nyamaropa said.
"We intervened to ensure that the Kambeni family's right to shelter is protected. They had a decent home in Chiadzwa but are living in conditions that are inhumane and degrading. We feel they have a right to claim decent shelter," he added.
Odzi police have since recorded a warned and cautioned statement and will proceed with the case by summons following Zlhr's intervention.
The Zlhr lawyer pleaded with the authorities to consider his clients' plight and allocate them a decent home.
In the week that preceded the house invasions Kambeni and his 14 wives besieged the district administrators office demanding decent and adequate accommodation for their super-sized family.
Source - dailynews
