High Court orders Zanu PF youths off Mliswa’s farm

HARARE – The High Court has ordered a group of rampaging Zanu PF youths off Springvale Farm in Karoi and declared outspoken former Mashonaland West Zanu-PF chairman Mr Temba Mliswa as the lawful occupier.

Justice Chinembiri Bhunu yesterday granted an application by Mr Mliswa seeking the eviction of the violent group with the consent of all the lawyers involved.

Part of the group included Zanu-PF leaders in Mashonaland West Province Nigel Murambiwa, Chinjayi Kumbuzuma, Tapiwa Masenda and Silas Chimbiro.

Officer-in-Charge Karoi Police Station and the Minister of State for Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement were cited as respondents in their official capacities.

Justice Bhunu ordered the group to vacate the farm premises and directed them to surrender to Mr Mliswa some keys and locks to the yard, a restaurant, homestead and service station located at the farm.

According to Mliswa — who will be slugging it out with Zanu PF — in the forthcoming by-elections scheduled for June 10, the youths early in the wee hours of Saturday rounded up Mliswa’s workers at his Spring Farm on the outskirts of Karoi and beat them up.

“My workers were beaten by farm invaders who accused them of spying on my behalf. I have tried to engage the police but they are not helpful. These youths, most of whom I know personally, have broken into my properties.

“Tobacco at the farm is rotting because my workers are detained. The youths have set up bases there and now all the investment I made is going to waste because of the actions of these people,” said Mliswa.

Harare lawyer Mr Phillip Mbano appeared for the Zanu PF quartet of Nigel Murambiwa, Chinjayi Kumbuzuma, Tapiwa Masenda and Silas Chimbiro while Mr Musindo Hungwe appeared for Mr Mliswa.

Mr Mbano said the order granted was not a victory for Mr Mliswa because the respondents simply consented. He said his clients never invaded the farm, but they were demonstrating against the conduct of the politician.

“It is not a victory at all,” said Mr Mbano. “Mliswa’s farm was never invaded and my clients were just demonstrating to the party provincial and national leadership against the conduct of Mliswa.

“My clients actually had a petition that was sent to the relevant offices. We consented to the order because it did not affect us in any way.”

Mr Hungwe described the developments as a victory.

“We got the order that we sought and the invaders were ordered off Springvale Farm,” he said. “The order was granted as a final order and Mr Mliswa was declared the legitimate owner.”

Asked to comment on the reports that Mr Mliswa had already surrendered the farm to Government, Mr Hungwe described the developments as political.

“I am a lawyer and not a politician,” he said. “I believe those were political statements and I cannot comment on that.”

Mliswa said he was still the legitimate occupier of the farm because his lease was still valid.

“I am advised by my legal practitioners, which advice I accept, that as long as the lease agreement entered into by myself and the Government of Zimbabwe has not been lawfully cancelled, I am the lawful occupant of the land in question together with all the improvements thereon,” he said.