Catch and release: Mnangagwa's Minister walks free again

In a development that has reignited concerns about Zimbabwe's compromised legal system, the High Court in Masvingo has removed from the roll a high-profile land dispute case involving Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Ezra Chadzamira. The case centers on allegations that the minister illegally seized land belonging to a widow to construct a private school - a move that has now been indefinitely stalled due to procedural delays.

Justice Helena Charewa ruled that the matter could not proceed after it emerged during a Pre-Trial Conference that none of the parties involved had properly prepared their court papers. Although the hearing was initially rescheduled for May 15, 2025, the case was ultimately removed from the roll, meaning it will only proceed if it is re-enrolled - a procedural hurdle that has historically marked the quiet collapse of politically sensitive cases in Zimbabwe.

The property in question, located in Morningside, Masvingo, belonged to the late Farai Mutsetse and has been occupied and developed by his widow since 2009. According to the widow, Chadzamira began constructing a private school on the land in 2024 despite her repeated objections and documented proof of ownership, including municipal bills, water rates, and official correspondence from the city council.

The case took a sinister turn when the widow alleged that key documents proving her ownership mysteriously vanished from the Masvingo City Council's offices. Such disappearances have become a hallmark of land grabs involving politically powerful figures, raising suspicion of institutional complicity. The council and the Ministry of Local Government, which Chadzamira claims sold him the land, are both named as respondents in the case, along with the city's housing director.

This is not the first time Minister Chadzamira has been accused of forcibly taking land. In a separate incident, he was alleged to have grabbed Cresta Ibeka - a farm and residential property located about 10 kilometers from Masvingo's central business district - from 66-year-old widow Yvonne Goddard. Despite a public outcry over that case, no legal action was taken against him.

Chadzamira's continued evasion of legal consequences has come to symbolise the widespread impunity enjoyed by senior ZANU-PF officials. Critics point to a "catch and release" pattern that has come to define Zimbabwe's justice system - where politically connected individuals are arrested or sued, only for their cases to be indefinitely delayed, dismissed, or quietly buried.

Under President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration, promises to root out corruption have repeatedly failed to materialise. Instead, the judiciary is increasingly perceived as an instrument of political control, shielding allies of the ruling party while targeting dissenters and opposition activists.

Despite the widow's clear evidence of ownership and continued occupation of the land, the High Court's decision to remove the matter from the roll has once again highlighted the challenges faced by ordinary Zimbabweans in seeking justice. Legal experts say the move effectively derails the widow's attempt to reclaim her property and sends a chilling message about the state of the rule of law in the country.

For now, Chadzamira remains free to continue building on the contested land, with little recourse available to the woman whose home and livelihood hang in the balance.