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Farm evictions continue unabated in Chipinge North
Zimbabwe Peace Project
November 22, 2006

The situation for some farmers in Chipinge has become difficult as farm evictions continue to be carried out. While it has been officially proclaimed that it is now time to ‘regularize’ the land issues in Zimbabwe, land tenure security continues be a faraway dream for some farmers as eviction orders continue to be issued. In Chipinge, at least six eviction notices have been delivered to farmers including those issued to farm owners of Busi, Whittington valley, New Farm and Sweet Acres farms. The farmers have been given December 18 as the deadline to vacate the farms. The farm invasions are reportedly being masterminded by Zanu PF District Chairman C, JC – Central Intelligence office head in Chipinge on behalf of Zanu PF senior officials.

The notices explicitly inform victims that the farmers face prosecution if they fail to vacate their properties within the stipulated time frame. There is a common fear among those affected, the farmers, farm workers and their dependants that they face an extremely bleak future.

Busi farm is owned by an 82 year old JS and had at its height of productivity more than 150 workers which has whittled down to 12 employees. The farm produces avocado pears and coffee. It is alleged that the senator for Chipinge-Chimanimani, M, is interested in the farm and is behind the evictions.

At Whittington valley farm, the same sad scenario exists and Mr. Conner and his wife, the owners, are extremely worried at the possibility of losing the only home the elderly couple has ever known and worked so hard to develop over the years. The couple previously in 2001 voluntarily gave half of the farm to government for resettlement purposes. The farm currently has 20 hectares of Macademia plants which are at knee height and will be ready for harvest in 5 years time. Macademia nuts are exported to Europe and South Africa earning the country much needed foreign currency. The District Administrator for Chipinge, D, is reported to have an eye on the farm.

Denny Sithole, a worker at Busi farm and has been at the farm for more than 12 years said that workers and their families have nowhere to go. The case of Denny is not unique as most of the workers have nowhere to go, since they are of foreign origin.

Paradoxically, a few ‘politically correct’ Zimbabweans who recently received their 99 year land tenure leases celebrate across the country while some other citizens are in deep mourning after being served with eviction orders. The eviction orders from the Ministry of Lands bear testimony to the double standards being applied in Zimbabwe and continued insecurity of tenure.

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