News / National
Zimbabwe farm invaders evicted
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After months of failed attempts, the deputy sheriff on Friday successfully carried out evictions and demolitions at Cloverdale Farm, Goromonzi, displacing dozens of families who had invaded the land.
The 250-hectare property, owned by Glorious Properties - headed by former cabinet minister Petronella Kagonye - had been illegally occupied by ZANU-PF supporters who subdivided the land into residential stands, selling them at a fraction of their value for just US$200 each.
Glorious Properties plans to develop the area into a luxurious gated community named Glorious Brooke, envisioned as part of a broader smart city initiative alongside established affluent suburbs such as Mabvazuva, Erasmus Park, and Ruwa Golf Estate.
Police had to resort to firing teargas to disperse invaders who fiercely resisted eviction by throwing stones and digging trenches to block police vehicles. The chaotic confrontations spilled onto the busy Harare-Mutare highway, where motorists were caught in the crossfire, with tear gas drifting across the road while stones and boulders blocked traffic.
At one point, overwhelmed police temporarily retreated but regrouped to complete the evictions. When Standard People visited the site on Friday, demolitions were underway, and by Saturday, the situation had calmed somewhat, with some invaders packing up belongings, realizing resistance was futile amid reinforced security presence.
The ringleaders of the invasion have been convicted and are currently serving prison sentences for illegal occupation. Since last year, attempts by the deputy sheriff and police to reclaim the land were repeatedly thwarted by violent resistance. Last month alone, 28 people were arrested after assaulting officers aiding in demolition efforts.
The High Court declared Glorious Properties the sole lawful owner of the land in June last year, paving the way for ongoing efforts to restore the property and advance the planned upscale development.
The 250-hectare property, owned by Glorious Properties - headed by former cabinet minister Petronella Kagonye - had been illegally occupied by ZANU-PF supporters who subdivided the land into residential stands, selling them at a fraction of their value for just US$200 each.
Glorious Properties plans to develop the area into a luxurious gated community named Glorious Brooke, envisioned as part of a broader smart city initiative alongside established affluent suburbs such as Mabvazuva, Erasmus Park, and Ruwa Golf Estate.
Police had to resort to firing teargas to disperse invaders who fiercely resisted eviction by throwing stones and digging trenches to block police vehicles. The chaotic confrontations spilled onto the busy Harare-Mutare highway, where motorists were caught in the crossfire, with tear gas drifting across the road while stones and boulders blocked traffic.
At one point, overwhelmed police temporarily retreated but regrouped to complete the evictions. When Standard People visited the site on Friday, demolitions were underway, and by Saturday, the situation had calmed somewhat, with some invaders packing up belongings, realizing resistance was futile amid reinforced security presence.
The ringleaders of the invasion have been convicted and are currently serving prison sentences for illegal occupation. Since last year, attempts by the deputy sheriff and police to reclaim the land were repeatedly thwarted by violent resistance. Last month alone, 28 people were arrested after assaulting officers aiding in demolition efforts.
The High Court declared Glorious Properties the sole lawful owner of the land in June last year, paving the way for ongoing efforts to restore the property and advance the planned upscale development.
Source - the standard
