Woman takes Zanu-PF to court

ZANU-PF has kicked out businesswoman Mrs Mandi Majoni from its commercial properties in Rusape, but the woman has since filed an urgent High Court application to interdict the party from evicting her.

Zanu-PF took over direct control of all its assets in Rusape and last month realised $8 500 from Edro Motors - a commercial property that houses a showroom converted into a flea market and a service station.

The money was deposited into a ZB Bank party account.

However, Mrs Majoni could not let the rich pickings slip through her fingers, resulting in her filing a court application contesting her chucking from the commercial property and service station at Number 28 Tongogara Street.

The urgent application was made on March 6, under High Court Number HC2076/15.

Zidco Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, a commercial wing of Zanu-PF, was cited as the first responded, while Makoni West legislator Kudzanayi Chipanga was cited as the second respondent.

Mrs Majoni argued that she had a valid lease with the first respondent, through which she enjoyed peaceful and undisturbed occupation of the premises called Zidco Garage and staff cottages.

"On the 4th of March, 2015, without any valid court order, the second respondent attended the premises and announced that he had taken control and management of the leased premises through an affidavit and power of attorney allegedly given him by the first respondent," argued Mrs Majoni.

She further added that Chipanga barred her from entering the premises and proceeded to collect rentals from her sub-tenants at the premises.

She argued that Chipanga's interferences were despite the fact that there was no termination of her lease and the fact that she was not legally evicted from the property.

"The action by the second respondent with the apparent sanction and authority of the first respondent are clearly illegal as they have taken the law into their own hands and have evicted the applicant without any court order.

"If the court does not intervene on the urgent basis, the applicant will be evicted illegally from the premises and will suffer irreparable harm as all the investment made at the leased property will be lost in circumstances that are not only illegal but where there is no court  order," argued Mrs Majoni.

Chipanga was given the power of attorney after leading a task team set two months ago to establish the grounds surrounding Mrs Majoni's occupation of the property.

The committee established that she was awarded the lease on top of another lease (owned by Cleopas Mugomba) at the instruction of former Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Mr Didymus Mutasa.

Mrs Majoni has been collecting $8 500 in monthly rentals from flea market vendors, and according to the committee, she remitted only one month rentals since taking control of the properties in August 2014. She allegedly owed Zidco $36 000 in rental arrears, forcing Zidco to terminate the lease agreement. All along Zidco could not act on her defaults because Mr Mutasa was protecting her. Chipanga, since assuming control on behalf of the party, reduced rentals to between $60 and $80 per table.