Our correspondent Lionel Saungweme reports that Collen Dye, affectionately known as Ndex’, was brutally assaulted by war veterans and ZANU PF youths around the 21st July this year and evicted from his farm. The eviction took place the same day as his birthday and he was forced to walk 45 km to the main road where he was able to catch a lift to Bulawayo.
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The farm invaders cut the phone lines, removed the poles and put them in a scotch cart before taking them away. They also filled up the borehole on the farm with stones and now members of the community who relied on it have to walk over 10km to get alternative water supplies. The invaders eventually sub-divided the farm into plots. They later set up snares to catch animals on the farm and Saungweme reports that, there is now not a single animal on the farm.’
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Meanwhile Dye’s health is failing because of the assaults and this is not helped by his destitution. He is complaining of a painful chest, coughs a lot and he’s on the edge of starvation. Efforts at seeking assistance from groups that help farmers have only resulted in him, being sent from pillar to post.’
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Dye was seen at the local MDC office in Bulawayo seeking help with things like food and transport money. I saw him at the MDC office and he looked a pale shadow of his former self. His whole body is scarred with injuries, he looks hungry and has no money for anything,’ Saungweme said. – SW Radio Africa News