Zapu on farm invasions in Matabeleland

ZAPU wishes to express its concern at the increasing wave of farm invasions in Matabeleland. Hired and recruited war veterans, senior government officials and thugs have embarked on an unprecedented land grab in Matabeleland. These criminals have set up base in Mazwi Nature Reserve which they grabbed from the Bulawayo City Council, from there they are sent on on reconnaissance missions to scout farms of 'enemies' which are then targeted and invaded.

Most prominent has been the attempted grab of ZAPU President Dumiso Dabengwa's Ruby Farm under the pretext that it belonged to a long dead white farmer and that he was underutilising the farm. This despite the fact that he bought the farm using his own resources and has over 300 dairy cattle on the farm and provides a livelihood for over 30 families.

Last week J.C. Connolly's farm in Figtree was invaded by one Ray C. Ndhlukula the former district administrator who is now the Chief Deputy Secretary in the president's office. Mr Ndhlukula is a war veteran of dubious repute who is underutilising two other farms that he allocated himself in the province. Apparently his thirst for land has not been sated as he moved furniture and 19 workers onto Mr Connolly's farm and ordered the 80 workers employed by Mr Connolly to cease operations on the farm.

ZAPU declares this to be a gross violation of every constitutionally guaranteed right of Mr Connolly and his workers who have deprived of a source of livelihood by an official of a  government that has failed to deliver a single job out of the two million it promised during the elections. Once again Zanu PF has through its arrogant officials thumbed it nose at SADC as this invasion was carried out against the backdrop of the SADC summit in Victoria Falls where Mugabe wined and dined while his subordinates burnt down Zimbabwe. It has the taken the shine off his already waned star.

ZAPU applauds the action taken by the ZIPRA Veterans to demonstrate against this act of official terrorism. ZAPU also hastens to warn that the action might lead to open conflict as temperatures are already running high. Zanu PF has failed to deliver on a single election promise and its cohorts are devouring the country while the hungry citizens begin to growl in anger. A hungry man is an angry man. Zimbabweans are hungry, they don't even have the potatoes that they were told to eat by Mugabe if they had no mealie meal.

Already there are rumblings of the implementation of the grand plan and the people of the region are becoming restive. ZAPU therefore urges Mugabe and his 'weevils' to adhere to the rule of law and let sanity prevail. But then of course, there is always order in Zanu PF chaos!