Gokwe farmers ponder next move

18 Jan, 2015 - 00:01 0 Views
Gokwe farmers ponder next move Mr Kaito Tungwana showing his health crop which he has been ordered to leave to pave way for the farm owner and hangers on

The Sunday Mail

Mr Kaito Tungwana showing his health crop which he has been ordered to leave to pave way for the farm owner and hangers on

Mr Kaito Tungwana showing his health crop which he has been ordered to leave to pave way for the farm owner and hangers on

Emilia Zindi recently in Gokwe

More than 1 000 farmers resettled at Chemagora farms in Gokwe South were recently served with eviction orders following revelations that they were resettled on farms owned by indigenous farmers.

In the event that the repossession is no longer possible for whatever reason, these farm owners are entitled to compensation for both the land and improvements as provided for under Section 295 of the Constitution.

Out of 48 farms covering 54 000 hectares, 14 had been lying idle for more than two decades while some were being partly utilised.

The 14 farms at the centre of controversy are Farms Number 1 owned by one D Mpofu, measuring 1 065 hectares where a total of 120 farmers were resettled, Number 2 owned by Mboneli D, measuring 982 hectares where two farmers were resettled, Number 3 owned by Gwanzura E, measuring 1 313 hectares with a total of 105 beneficiaries having been resettled there, Number 19 owned by Mafika R, measuring 1 113 hectares with 16 farmers resettled, Number 26 owned by Kiass W, measuring 1 880 hectares with 125 farmers resettled there, Number 27 owned by Magadzire F, measuring 1 482 hectares with 100 farmers already resettled, Number 30 owned by Gangata B. V, measuring 1 202 hectares where pegging is still in progress, Number 31 owned by Dhobhiso S, measuring 1 282 hectares with 90 people already resettled, Number 32 owned by Muvengwa M, measuring 978 hactares where 80 people were resettled, Number 34 owned by Zvangobani D, measuring 1 350 hectares with 110 people already resettled, Number 38 owned by Nanga S, measuring 1 825 hectares with 29 people resettled, Number 41 owned by Tshuna S, measuring 942 hectares with 36 farmers resettled, Number 28 owned by Muchengeti, measuring 1 130 hectares with nine farmers resettled and Number 40 owned by Taonezvi, measuring 978 hectares where eight farmers were resettled.

Gogo loyce Joachim and grand son Takudwza

Gogo loyce Joachim and grand son Takudwza

When The Sunday Mail Extra visited the farms last week, the resettled farmers were pondering their next move with some of their houses destroyed by the farm owners.

“We did not resettle ourselves here but were actually allocated the farms some four years ago after it was established these farms had been lying idle for a long time when the majority of us in Gokwe are landless,’’ said one beneficiary at Farm 31, Mr Kaito Tungwana.

He said he was recently attacked by a group of people accompanied by the farm owner forcing him to flee.

“They burnt down my house and destroyed my crops in the process. I only returned after word circulated that the local leadership had ordered our return as we already have crops on the ground.

“But we are not safe as yet as we fear we might be attacked again by the owners who want us to leave the farms without delay,’’ he said.

Another victim, Loice Zhuwakino, who lives with her grand children after the death of their parents could not stop shedding tears as she narrated how she lost all her belongings when their grass-thatched homestead was set alight by the suspected farm owners.

Ambuya Zhuwakino, who is now sleeping in a roofless house during this rainy season, had no kind words for the responsible authorities whom she accused of using them (the resettled farmers) to gain political mileage.

“We were resettled here and incorporated into Ward 28 as residents of Chemagora.

“Our names were even put on the voters’ roll where we voted during the 2013 harmonised elections as residents of Ward 28.

“Now what has gone wrong? Where were these so-called owners of these farms when we were resettled?’’ she asked as she wiped tears from her face.

Efforts to get a comment from some of the farm owners were fruitless as they were said to be living either in Harare or Bulawayo with those on the ground saying they were only workers.

Local lands committee referred all questions to the Provincial Governor, Cde Jaison Machaya, whose phone was not reachable.

“Call Cde Machaya’s driver, they are travelling together and you can ask him as he is the only responsible authority to speak on the Chemagora issue,’’ said a lady from his office.

Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Dr Douglas Mombeshora’s personal assistant, Mr Nyasha Dendere, said he would forward the issue to his superiors for attention.

However, the local leadership under Chief Njelele said it felt that the resettled farmers were being treated unfairly given that all procedures were followed in resettling them on the said properties.

“As the chief of this area I am also affected because I do not want to see people suffering like this when those who are in a position to resolve this matter are there.

“It does not take two days for the authorities to resolve this matter but they are dragging their feet for reasons best known to them. At the same time it is the people who are suffering,’’ said Chief Njelele.

He said at one time the people were ordered to leave the farms before being ordered to stay put.

According to minutes of the Lands committee held at the District Administrator’s office sometime late last year, the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement is supposed to protect the farmers as it was agreed that beneficiaries who were already on the farms should stay there while a lasting solution is being sought.

Although the beneficiaries were initially told to ignore court orders after the farm owners went to court and won the case, this was said to have been disadvantaging the farmers as they were getting default judgments at the courts.

Chemagora small scale commercial farm area covers about 54 000 hectares which is about two fifths of the entire Gokwe South District.

There are 48 farms in the area, seven of which have title deeds but most farmers do not reside or work on the farms. Most employ workers instead.

Some of the farms were abandoned more than six years ago. It is suspected that the farm owners’ relatives resurfaced last year when they heard that the farms were being sub-divided.

The land issue in the area had remained problematic since Independence.

While the fast track is now in its final phase, the people of Gokwe did not benefit.

This saw some families occupying areas previously set aside as forests and game parks, fighting battles with local administrative and governing authorities.

Information at hand indicates that approximately 700 families are in Mapfungautsi Forestry where they are now formally resettled by the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Natural Resources, 400 families in Chirisa Game Park and several others are scattered all over Chemagora small-scale commercial farms where they were either sub-leasing or renting land from the small-scale farmers.

The district falls under the jurisdiction of Chiefs Njelele, Sai, Mkoka, Jiri and Nemangwe; all of whom did not benefit under the land reform programme, thereby intensifying the land issue in the area with the chiefs complaining of being side lined.

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