Council evicts Zanu-PF land invaders

SCORES of Zanu-PF youths were yesterday evicted from land they had invaded and set up illegal structures in Warren Park, Harare.

Harare City Council has earmarked the invaded land for housing co-operatives, among them Southpole, Westwood, Warren Hills and Walk in the Spirit, which were operating as consortiums.

High Court judge Justice Jester Charewa last month issued a default judgment against the respondents Agony Mosi, Tapiwa Kanyemba, Daniel Chingoma and Abicia Ushewokunze.

"The first, second, third and fourth respondents and all those claiming through them be and are hereby interdicted from erecting building structures or visiting and interfering with the applicants allocated housing land at Warren Park Township, Harare, under plan number TPX/WR06/12," the order read.

Acting on that order, the deputy sheriff with support of police on Tuesday started demolishing the structures erected by the youths who had settled on the 106 residential stands.

Warren Hills Housing Co-operative secretary Vusa Dzafunwa yesterday said the Zanu-PF youths were still defiant.

"When we wanted to develop the stands in September last year, the Zanu-PF youths came and disrupted the process. They even chased off the grader that was hired. We approached the courts and won the matter, hence the eviction," he said.

"However, they were told to leave and part of their structures were demolished, but today (yesterday) some of them are back at the disputed land claiming they have orders from their party to stay put. They are telling us that the matter is going to be tabled at the politburo so that necessary steps are taken to claim the land. However, we believe fairness and justice will prevail."

Opposition parties have accused Zanu-PF of vote-buying using State land with ruling party youths invading many open pieces of land claiming they have the protection of "higher offices".