News / Regional
Masvingo Apostolics invade Matabeland farm
19 Jan 2011 at 21:44hrs | Views
Some members of the Apostolic Faith Church from Masvingo have invaded a ranch owned by a white commercial farmer in Marula, Matabeleland South, sparking protests from the local community.
Locals vowed to assist the farmer, Garry Rosenfels, evict the Vapostori members from Lydead Ranch, which they invaded in December last year.
The local community said the members of the Vapostori sect should "go back to Masvingo and invade farms in their province".
Members of the sect have taken over part of an irrigation scheme that is at the farm, using farming machinery and forcing Rosenfels workers to conduct their farming activities.
The land invaders, it is understood, were bussed from Masvingo on December 27 and settled at the cattle ranch.
Leaders of the sect who bussed in their members could not be independently verified, but the sect members at the invaded farm refused to comment when approached by reporters this week.
Former Bulilima MP Norman Mpofu condemned the invasion of the ranch by the Vapostori sect saying they should invade farms in their provinces.
Last year, war veterans in Matabeleland North ganged up to evict land invaders from outside the region, saying they should go back and invade farms in their provinces.
Political leaders from the region have also expressed concern over the influx of land invaders from outside Matabeleland, also noting that they should invade farms in their provinces.
The invasion of the Plumtree ranch came as land invasions intensify despite the unity government having called for an end to farm disturbances.
It is not clear which political party these vapostori supports as both Mugabe and Tsvangirai attended the vapostori sect church services during the run up to the previous elections. Mugabe is a well known Roman Catholic and it is not clear which church Tsvangirai attends.
Locals vowed to assist the farmer, Garry Rosenfels, evict the Vapostori members from Lydead Ranch, which they invaded in December last year.
The local community said the members of the Vapostori sect should "go back to Masvingo and invade farms in their province".
Members of the sect have taken over part of an irrigation scheme that is at the farm, using farming machinery and forcing Rosenfels workers to conduct their farming activities.
The land invaders, it is understood, were bussed from Masvingo on December 27 and settled at the cattle ranch.
Leaders of the sect who bussed in their members could not be independently verified, but the sect members at the invaded farm refused to comment when approached by reporters this week.
Former Bulilima MP Norman Mpofu condemned the invasion of the ranch by the Vapostori sect saying they should invade farms in their provinces.
Last year, war veterans in Matabeleland North ganged up to evict land invaders from outside the region, saying they should go back and invade farms in their provinces.
Political leaders from the region have also expressed concern over the influx of land invaders from outside Matabeleland, also noting that they should invade farms in their provinces.
The invasion of the Plumtree ranch came as land invasions intensify despite the unity government having called for an end to farm disturbances.
It is not clear which political party these vapostori supports as both Mugabe and Tsvangirai attended the vapostori sect church services during the run up to the previous elections. Mugabe is a well known Roman Catholic and it is not clear which church Tsvangirai attends.
Source - Byo24NEWS
