Suspected Zanu PF supporters, with the alleged blessing of a senior provincial lands officer, have invaded a farm owned by a white cattle rancher, some 10km from the Midlands State University.
Stephen Chadenga OWN CORRESPONDENT
One invader identified as Magen’a has since occupied a building behind the farmhouse, where his workers are staying.
The invaded property Reflection Farm, which is about 171 hectares and is situated in Shurugwi South constituency Ward 17, is owned by 52-year-old Daphne Dyer and has about 100 cattle.
Dyer does chicken rearing at the farm house. When the Southern Eye arrived at the farm on Tuesday, Dyer declined to come out of the farmhouse, saying she feared for her life, but her farm supervisor Mzenzi Mtetwa said three men came two months ago in the company of the lands officer and told them the farm had been allocated to Magen’a, Zuva and Chitava.
The three invaders are alleged to have one offer letter. Zuva has since allegedly occupied the farm compound, where Dyer’s employees stayed and has started clearing the land for cultivation at the compound and outside the farmhouse near the graveyard where Dyer’s parents and relatives are buried.
“Three men came in the company of (the land officer) last week and told us that Magen’a was now occupying the farm house,” Mtetwa said.
“Dyer refused to vacate the farmhouse and some people have been staying at a building at the back of the farmhouse. We are living in fear here.”
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Villagers around the area said it was wrong for the invaders to occupy the farm, as they had a good relationship with Dyer.
“We support land reform, but this orphan (Dyer) should be left alone,” Lovemore Maketo, an ex-soldier who stays at a nearby village, said. Area head, Chief Nhema said he had heard about the invasion from villagers and would investigate.
