War vets kicked out of farm they grabbed before land reform programme

War veterans from Chegutu are facing eviction at a local farm which they grabbed before the land reform programme.

The farm Stanley Roses and Dorothymore farm measuring 950 hectares is owned by Samuel Nhakaiso. The farm was bought by the farmer in early 1990’s before the Land reform from Bryn Watkins.

However, the farm was gazetted for land reform and subdivided into A2 model plots which were allocated to settlers before Samuel Nhakaiso challenged the matter to the High Court. The farm was delisted from gazetted land and the offer letters of the settlers were withdrawn.

Most of the settlers sought assistance from Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement and were reallocated land from other farms. Two members of the War Veteran Association Oliver Bwititi and Livingstone Nyamadzawo did not comply with the order and stayed put at the farm.

It took several years of skirmishes for the farm owner to take them out. They were arrested and convicted on almost 3 occasions for occupying land without authority.

Other people also continued to illegally occupy the farm. Samuel Nhakaiso applied for an eviction order which had them evicted in 2017 but they returned to the farm. In 2018, Samuel Nhakaiso got another High Court order to evict almost 21 households at the farm High court order number 12326/15 .

Circumstances are that on the 5th day of December 2018 at around 1330hours, the Sheriff of High court Ahmed Mafongoya NR: 22-221820-J-04 requested for police escort him to execute a High Order Number 12326/15 which directed the eviction of about 21 illegal settlers at Stanley roses and Dorothmore farms Chegutu.

The sheriff was being assisted by 21 aides led by Lafios Chasi NR: 63-390342-E-07.the High court judgement directed that the illegal settlers be evicted and their properties be attached as their cases were dismissed with costs.

Nine illegal settlers were evicted. However, the evictions could not be completed due to darkness. A remainder of 12 illegal settlers are yet to be evicted.

Evictions continued on the 6th day of December 2018. No property was attached.
On the ground more than 80 homesteads are to be evicted.

A strong and organised resistance was witnessed as the evictions proceeded to the key members Livingstone Nyamadzawo and Oliver Bwititi.