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Tichaona Jokonya's family lives in fear
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The family of the late liberation war hero and former Information Minister, Tichaona Jokonya, is living in fear following the reported invasion of their privately owned farm in Beatrice, Mashonaland East, by men allegedly acting under the orders of a senior army officer.
Jokonya, who passed away on June 24, 2006, left behind Elvington Farm, widely known as KwaJokonya, a 424-hectare property he purchased in 1992 and which holds official title deeds.
According to family spokesperson Bester Jokonya, the incident occurred on June 6 when they woke to find several men erecting a fence on approximately 300 hectares of the farm. The men claimed they were sent by an army colonel named Kennedy Makavanga.
"We woke up to see men erecting a fence on another part of the farm. It was shocking," Bester said. "When questioned, they said they were sent by Colonel Makavanga. We contacted the soldier, who said the Lands Ministry had given him the farm. However, when we inquired with the Lands Ministry in Mashonaland East, we were told no such arrangement existed."
The family stressed that the farm is a thriving agricultural enterprise, producing horticultural products and operating as a cattle ranch.
"We are living in fear of army officials invading our property, despite their mandate to protect us. Our mother, the late hero's widow, is deeply traumatised," Bester added.
The family reported the matter to the police, which led to the arrest of eight men involved in the fence erection on June 6. The suspects appeared in Beatrice court facing charges of criminal trespassing and were remanded in custody pending a bail hearing set for Monday.
The arrested individuals are Cephas Ndiripo (47), Newton Mafoti (46), Honest Tarugarira (30), Ashley Chimbare (22), Dean Nyagona (26), Naison Mbara (23), Panashe Weju (23), and Aaron Mushamu (30).
Court documents reveal that after fleeing the farm when police first responded to the call, the men returned on June 25 to continue erecting the fence. The farm manager alerted police, resulting in their arrest. The suspects told the court they were contracted by Shadrack Chimbare from Chivhu, who reportedly works under Colonel Makavanga.
Efforts to reach Colonel Makavanga and the Mashonaland East provincial lands office for comment were unsuccessful.
Tichaona Jokonya, a declared national hero, served as Zimbabwe's ambassador to the United Nations before his appointment as Information Minister in 2005 by then-President Robert Mugabe. He died in Harare and was buried at the National Heroes Acre.
Jokonya, who passed away on June 24, 2006, left behind Elvington Farm, widely known as KwaJokonya, a 424-hectare property he purchased in 1992 and which holds official title deeds.
According to family spokesperson Bester Jokonya, the incident occurred on June 6 when they woke to find several men erecting a fence on approximately 300 hectares of the farm. The men claimed they were sent by an army colonel named Kennedy Makavanga.
"We woke up to see men erecting a fence on another part of the farm. It was shocking," Bester said. "When questioned, they said they were sent by Colonel Makavanga. We contacted the soldier, who said the Lands Ministry had given him the farm. However, when we inquired with the Lands Ministry in Mashonaland East, we were told no such arrangement existed."
The family stressed that the farm is a thriving agricultural enterprise, producing horticultural products and operating as a cattle ranch.
The family reported the matter to the police, which led to the arrest of eight men involved in the fence erection on June 6. The suspects appeared in Beatrice court facing charges of criminal trespassing and were remanded in custody pending a bail hearing set for Monday.
The arrested individuals are Cephas Ndiripo (47), Newton Mafoti (46), Honest Tarugarira (30), Ashley Chimbare (22), Dean Nyagona (26), Naison Mbara (23), Panashe Weju (23), and Aaron Mushamu (30).
Court documents reveal that after fleeing the farm when police first responded to the call, the men returned on June 25 to continue erecting the fence. The farm manager alerted police, resulting in their arrest. The suspects told the court they were contracted by Shadrack Chimbare from Chivhu, who reportedly works under Colonel Makavanga.
Efforts to reach Colonel Makavanga and the Mashonaland East provincial lands office for comment were unsuccessful.
Tichaona Jokonya, a declared national hero, served as Zimbabwe's ambassador to the United Nations before his appointment as Information Minister in 2005 by then-President Robert Mugabe. He died in Harare and was buried at the National Heroes Acre.
Source - online
