Rebel War vet leader fights off Zanu PF farm invaders

War veterans' secretary-general, Victor Matemadanda's son, Itai, has successfully fought off the invasion of his family's farm in Mashonaland East province by suspected Zanu PF activists.

Matemadanda, who was recently fired from Zanu PF, together with several other war veterans' leaders, runs Garowa Farm in Hurungwe through his son.

Itai urged the court to evict the "illegal" occupants, who had invaded the farm, accusing them of having been sent by Zanu PF women's league secretary for finance, Sarah Mahoka.

"Applicant (Matemadanda) has been rendered homeless and his movable property is at risk of being destroyed by the respondents (Davy Musokota, Paul Gapa, and Lazarus Nhongo) and all the other people now in possession of the property. Applicant has no access to his food, clothing and all other materials to sustain himself and his family," he said in his founding affidavit.

Itai said he had been deprived of control over the farm and, as a result, could not use or protect the farm equipment and all his personal belongings at the farm.
"The applicant has been deprived of control over the family's farming and other business operations at Garowa Farm and … cannot enter the homestead, which has been taken over by the first to sixth respondents," he said.

The war veteran's son also cited the officer-in-charge of Tengwe police station, and Land Reform and Resettlement minister, Douglas Mombeshora as respondents in the matter.

"The sixth respondent is the officer in charge of Tengwe police station Hurungwe cited, herein, in his official capacity because a police report was made at his station in relation to the illegal trespass under RRB No. 2659000 of the first to sixth respondents and several people he and all police details under him refrained from taking any action to remedy the forcible entry effected on the farm on August 7 2016," he said.

In her determination, High Court judge, Justice Priscilla Chigumba issued a provisional order ordering the return of the farm to Matemadanda's family and instructed the deputy sheriff to ensure the occupiers were evicted.

"That the first to the fourth respondents and all claiming occupation through them be and are, hereby, ordered to return the applicant occupation and use of Garowa Farm and in so doing are ordered to vacate Garowa Farm and handover to applicant the key and locks to the yard of the principal, homestead, or any property occupied by them or any other person claiming occupation through them on Garowa Farm," she said.

"The first to fourth respondents, their workers, subordinates and agents shall, forthwith vacate Garowa Farm and all buildings, there on and are, hereby, interdicted and prohibited from occupying or entering upon the farm or occupying and utilising any improvements thereon."

The judge also prohibited the occupiers from carrying out any cultivation or introducing any animals on the farm and ordered the deputy sheriff to "take all steps with assistance of police to ensure that the order is complied with in full".

Matemadanda was represented by Kadzere, Hungwe and Mandevere Legal Practitioners.