Court blocks eviction of indigenous Zimbabwe farmers

High Court Justice Regis Dembure has ruled against the eviction of indigenous farmers at Springs Farm in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East Province, condemning the withdrawal of their offer letters by Land and Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka as "grossly unreasonable, irrational and defying logic."

The ruling follows closely on the heels of a similar decision by High Court Justice Bongani Ndlovu in Bulawayo, which blocked Masuka's attempt to seize Esidakeni Farm in Nyamandlovu, Matabeleland North, owned by prominent human rights lawyer Siphosami Malunga and business partners Zephaniah Dlamini and Charles Moyo.

Springs Farm had controversially been allocated to businessman Muller Conrad "Billy" Rautenbach's Marimba Residential Properties Limited, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa's approval. The acquisition was mired in allegations of corruption and manipulation, as Rautenbach reportedly possessed the farm's title deeds well before the legal challenge was heard.

Rautenbach was compensated with Springs Farm and the adjacent Stuhm Farm for the purported loss of Aspindale Park land in Harare-land he never legally owned, according to High Court findings.

In overturning Masuka's eviction order, supported by Mnangagwa, Justice Dembure found the minister's defence defective and a nullity, noting that the opposing papers filed on Masuka's behalf by the ministry's permanent secretary lacked proper written authority.

Representing the farmers, Harare-based lawyer and law professor Lovemore Madhuku argued that the permanent secretary had no valid mandate to represent the minister in court. Madhuku further referenced an August 2024 High Court ruling that stopped Masuka from arbitrarily withdrawing an offer letter from Chegutu businessman Christopher Rukawo, who had invested heavily in the farm he occupied.

Justice Dembure held that Masuka's withdrawal of offer letters was arbitrary and inconsiderate, emphasizing that the current farmers had long occupied the land and depended on it for their livelihoods. The judge also acknowledged significant investments made by farmers, including improvements and joint ventures dating back to 2019 and projected to continue through 2029.

The ruling was met with jubilation from farmers and war veterans who attended the hearing, as the case spotlighted Zimbabwe's commitment to property rights, transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption in its land reform programme.

The controversial seizure of Springs Farm and its allocation to Rautenbach had drawn public scrutiny, especially after it emerged that Rautenbach was issued the farm's deed of transfer on June 5, 2025-before the High Court case was concluded.

At the heart of the dispute is the government's facilitation of the transfer of Springs and Stuhm Farms to Rautenbach's company as compensation for land he claimed to have lost in Harare after failing to evict residents identified as Zanu PF supporters from Aspindale Park. Notably, a High Court ruling on March 25, 2019, declared Marimba Residential Properties was not the rightful owner of the Aspindale Park land, yet authorities proceeded to compensate Rautenbach at the expense of productive local farmers, many of whom are war veterans.

The High Court's decision to block the eviction of indigenous farmers at Springs Farm marks a significant victory for property rights defenders and raises critical questions about government accountability in Zimbabwe's land reform processes.