Grace Mugabe land grab report malicious

Recent reports in some sections of the media alleging that the First Lady, Amai Grace Mugabe, is unlawfully taking over land in Mazowe and displacing hundreds of families as well as ordering the destruction of a service station are not only a shoddy piece of journalism but also malicious.

The report carried in The Zimbabwe Independent dated May 30-June 5 2014 alleges that:
 The First Family evicted over 300 families at Mapfeni Farm in Mazowe. A check with the rel evant authorities however, revealed that firstly, people were removed from Manzou Farm, not Mapfeni as reported and most of the people who were residing there were in actual fact, illegal settlers who migrated from Harare.

The 61 families who had been legally staying at the farm were relocated to Cartref farm in Mazowe. Six were A1 farmers who were also resettled at Tavvydale farm in that same area. These farmers were assisted with farming equipment and they were also allocated land that was equivalent to the land that they occupied before displacement.

300 A1 farmers from Arnold farm were also relocated to Lazy 7 farm, in that same area. These families were repositioned at lot 3 of lazy 7 and were allocated 2 hectares per family. It is well-known that part of the Manzou area was declared by the Department of National Museums and Monuments as a National heritage site in 2006, therefore the families' relocation came about because Government is making efforts to establish the Manzou game reserve not to satisfy the First Family's whims as the paper alleges.

The report goes on to allege that Amai Mugabe ordered the destruction of a newly constructed service station.

That was another blatant lie as events that led to the destruction of the service station in Mazowe came after the owner of the garage failed to comply with the Environmental Management Agency [EMA]'s regulations. EMA is the authority that ordered the destruction of the service station. The service station is near a water source, Mazowe Dam,  therefore, posing a big threat of water pollution in the dam. Waste Management Act, section 3 (2) and 3 (3) notes that all introductions of waste to the environment, whether from a pulp mill, car wash or filling station require some form of authorization, such as a permit or approval.

Contrary to the report, The First Lady bought the land in question which she expanded into the Grace Mugabe Junior School. In doing so, she shared the land with Interfresh at Mazowe Citrus Estate. She was given over 870 hectares which is only 23% of the total land, while Interfresh remained with 2930 hectares which is 77% of 3800 hectares total land.

It is disheartening to note that while the First Family is implementing projects that benefit the general populace some sections of the private press are busy demonising their efforts.

Through passion and dedication for the community and the entire nation, the first family has been involved in a number of philanthropic projects that came after the acquiring of land under the land reform programme.

These projects include a dairy company; Alpha and Omega, an Orphanage, Grace Mugabe Junior School and others.

These and other projects are benefitting the Mazowe community and the entire Mashonaland Central Province.

Plans are afoot to expand the Grace Mugabe Foundation project in Mazowe through the inclusion of a secondary school and a provincial hospital to cater for the surrounding communities and the province.

To cut the story short, the land that currently belongs to the First Family is no longer sufficient to sustain the projects the First Lady has planned. The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs for Mashonaland Central, Martin Dinha, is on record promising the First Family more land in the Province such that they pursue their projects for the betterment of the community and the nation.