ZANU PF tells ‘farmers to invade’ jailed ex Finance deputy minister Terence Mukupe’s land

Incarcerated ZANU PF central committee member and former finance deputy minister Terence Mukupe has been dealt another blow after the ZANU PF Mashonaland East provincial leadership told farmers to ‘forcibly stay’ on his land earmarked for residential purposes.

Mukupe was in the process of evicting more than 40 Goromonzi farmers from Mt Olympus Chishawasha B Farm where he wants to set up the housing scheme.

The A1 farmers have been living at the farm for more than 20 years with most of them in possession of government offer letters.

However, a high-powered ZANU PF delegation led by provincial chairperson and National Housing and Social Amenities minister Daniel Garwe on Saturday last week visited the area and told the farmers to remain on the piece of land.

“The ZANU PF party is for the people, you the people you are the party. We are here armed with a document that says you are not going anywhere.

“This is your land and we are saying, you belong here. We have informed even the police on the latest position, so fear not,” Garwe told the farmers.

Garwe also told a Zanu PF provincial coordinating committee meeting in Marondera yesterday that the Local Government ministry had cancelled the offer letter given to Mukupe.

The banker was recently sentenced to three years in jail after being convicted of smuggling fuel into the country, evading paying taxes in the process.

The former Harare East legislator through his company Farmtel claims that he was allocated the farm in 2016 by the Local Government and Public Works ministry.

Mukupe has been struggling to evict the farmers since 2019.

NewsDay