Zimbabwe army to evict land invaders

In a bid to address the growing issue of illegal settlements on farms, the Zimbabwean government has enlisted the assistance of the army to support the police in evicting land barons responsible for creating unlawful settlements across the country.

The development was revealed in Parliament last Thursday, during a session where Murewa South Member of Parliament, Noah Mangondo, raised concerns about the increasing number of illegal settlements on both A1 and A2 farms. Mangondo questioned what the government was doing to end the illegal land occupation, stating that existing government departments appeared unable to resolve the problem.

"What is being done by government to make sure that the issue of illegal settlements ends because all these government departments that are there are failing to resolve this issue?" Mangondo asked.

In response, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Anxious Masuka, emphasized that the responsibility for addressing illegal land occupation lies with law enforcement agencies. He urged affected farmers to report such settlements to the police for action.

"If you go to the Lands office requesting them to come and evict the person who has settled on a farm unlawfully, you are approaching the wrong office. It is the duty of the police department to deal with those illegal settlers. Hence, there is a need for people to report to the police so that law enforcement can take the necessary action," Masuka explained.

The Minister also highlighted the role of the Land Inspectorate, which operates under his ministry, in ensuring proper enforcement. However, he noted that land officers often face threats from illegal settlers when attempting to visit the farms.

To bolster efforts to address the issue, Masuka revealed that the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has been mobilized to assist the police in evicting land invaders. He confirmed that a joint task force comprising the army, police, the President's Department, the Air Force, and the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services has been formed to carry out coordinated operations aimed at removing illegal settlers from farms.

"We have four groups working in the Lands Ministry, and we have also engaged the Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force, ZRP, the President's Department, and Prisons to have a joint operation command to assist in removing the illegal settlers," Masuka said.

Illegal settlement on farms, he stated, is a violation of the Communal Lands Act, and those involved must face the consequences of breaking the law. To further address the issue, Masuka mentioned that the government has engaged the Surveyor-General to demarcate farm boundaries clearly, and the Zimbabwe Lands Commission will play a role in dispute resolution and ensuring peace.

Masuka stressed that the country's land reform process, which began in 2000, has not reached its closure, with frequent reports of land invasions and evictions disrupting agricultural productivity across the country.

He assured Parliament that the government was committed to addressing the problem and restoring order to the land distribution process.